Classroom and activity stations of preschool Classroom and activity stations of preschool[/caption]With the first day of school right around the corner, you may be stressing about what you need to do to get your classroom ready for your new students. Follow these preparation tips and your new school year is sure to go smoothly.

Organize Your Classroom Setup

An organized classroom is a classroom that encourages students to learn.Organize your classroom in a way that fits your needs and the needs of your students. For example:

  • Make sure students can see the chalkboard or other visuals
  • Make sure all supplies and materials can be easily reached
  • Keep high traffic areas free of congestion

If you are having difficulty setting up your classroom, there are tools that can help.

Gather & Organize Supplies

There’s nothing worse than starting class only to realize you don’t have enough supplies—or have misplaced them. Make a checklist of all the supplies you and your students might need to help make sure you don’t miss anything.

Once you have your supplies in hand, make sure they are organized and safely put away. That way, you can easily reach them when you need something and students don’t accidentally hurt themselves on, say, a pair of scissors.

Review Your Lesson Plans

Begin the first day of the school year prepared with a lesson plan. Make a list of rules to go over with your students so they know what you expect from them and what they should expect from you. Be sure to clearly explain any rules they don’t understand.

Prepare Informational Packets for Parents

Parents like to stay informed about what their children will be doing in class. To accommodate them, put together an informational packet for them to receive on the first day of school. This packet should contain information like:

  • Supplies students need
  • Classroom rules and expectations
  • Your contact information

Be Ready for Anything

Last but not least, be prepared if your plans don’t go according to plan. Even if you have meticulously organized and planned the first day, things can change in a way you didn’t expect. For example, a teaching tool breaking. In case of such an event, have a backup plan.

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