For many, this school year hasn’t yet ended, but this is the PERFECT time to begin your planning for next year. And, while many of you are screaming that you need your break first, I argue this will help you shorten your planning and preparation time by leaps and bounds!
First off, as you are wrapping up this school year, what worked or didn’t work for your students is fresh in your mind. As you begin cleaning up (or packing up) your classroom for the summer, it is much more time efficient to sort your resources and organize them for the coming year. If an activity was a complete fail, get rid of it. If it needs modification, pack it for your summer work. If it was the perfect class activity, keep in handy for your new crew!
Next, almost every teacher in the United States is under pressure to implement the Common Core Standards into their curriculum. This will be a huge task for many, and planning ahead can save you from the stress of trying to get it all together at the last minute. More importantly, as the weeks wrap up, your co-workers are all there for collaboration and team planning for the CCS implementation. Divide and conquer is a much better method than struggling all on your own over the summer when you would rather be on that nice, warm beach!
- Common Core Standards with Printable Versions
- FREE Curriculum Map Template
- FREE Unit & Lesson Plan Template
Finally, the best reason for planning ahead is you! You are already in “teacher mode” right now. As you rest and relax over the summer, it will be even harder to tackle that to-do list for the coming year. And, if you already have your first weeks planned before your close the classroom door this year, think of the stress-free feeling you will have as you greet your new babies as they enter your door in August/September!
- First Day Community Building Activity
- FREE First Day Homework Assignment
- Student Identity Badges Activity
- Student Summer Newsletter Assignment
Happy Planning!
Michele