As much as you love teaching, you have to admit that the thought of preparing for a new school year gives you a lot of stress. But you don’t have to go through that because there are many ways to make this time of the year less stressful and more enjoyable. From using a complete year 4 maths curriculum to organising all your essentials, here are some tips to help you achieve that goal:
- Create a master plan. Sometimes, it’s the lack of direction that causes a lot of stress to you as a teacher. But when you have a clear master plan with a detailed list of everything that needs to be accomplished before the first day of school, you know exactly where to go and how you can tick off everything on that list. This sense of direction makes you feel more at ease and less stressed.
- Get help where you can. The good thing about teaching these days is that you already have access to tools, programmes and resources that weren’t readily available to teachers before. For instance, instead of creating an entire curriculum from scratch, you can take advantage of a toolkit that has everything you need—from lesson plans to assessments. Remember that it’s okay to get help where you can to lighten your load and let you focus on things that matter.
- Practice good organisation. Nothing makes you stressed more than a cluttered classroom. So if you can, make sure that you practice good organisation habits that you can use not only in your classroom but also in life. When you have a system in place, it’s a lot easier to keep track of the things that you need before the school year begins. It also keeps you from getting overwhelmed throughout the school year because you reduce the risks for errors while teaching.
Of course, it would help to not be too tough on yourself. Remember that your students rely a lot on your guidance, so it’s very important to prioritise your mental health and not get too overwhelmed by stress. Take breaks if you need to, ask for help if you’re exhausted and just enjoy the moment. Before you know it, things will already come together, and you can focus on creating a memorable school year for your students.
