
Have a backup plan. Or two. I like to have a ton of extra activities prepped and ready to use in case something doesn't go as planned. Task cards and center activities are my go to when things get crazy in my classroom, which is bound to happen the first few weeks of school. I especially love using these differentiated counting task cards or differentiated functional task cards (grab this free set!) because I can use them with all of my students, at their level. They are easy to use and my paras can assist students if I am dealing with a behavior issue or having a conversation with another teacher or parent. I put a bin out on my file cabinet with activities and switch them out as we use them.


Teach and practice routines and procedures. And then practice some more! If you spend the time from day 1 explicitly teaching your expectations, you will save yourself from the frustration of a poorly run classroom! Students need to know what to do, when to do it, and how. Teach each routine, practice it, and then practice it again. I like to have my students pretend to be the teacher- especially when we are practicing noise levels. They love to be in front of the class and it's a great way to check their understanding of the routine or procedure. I also teach a quiet signal in my classroom. It's been a life saver! You can grab a set of my Give Me 5 posters here. Or grab this set for free! I also love doing this classroom rule sort!
Find a support person. The first few weeks are hard. Teaching is hard. Find a teacher friend to vent and problem solve with. For me, it's helpful to have someone else who understands what teaching is really like and who can help give you ideas if you're struggling!
Self care is essential. You can't take care of others unless you're taking care of yourself first. Take a bubble bath, watch a favorite show on Netflix, spend time with your family, do what you need to do and don't feel guilty. Need some self care ideas? Check out this post from Sarah, The Designer Teacher.
Hang in there and remember that it gets easier! And let me know- what do you do to survive the first few weeks of school?
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