You’re tanned, relaxed, chilled-out and laid-back… until you hear the words ‘back to school’. It happens to us all: the dawning realisation that the freedom of the summer holidays is a thing of the past. Here are five top tips to help you dip your toe back into school waters.

Embrace the back to school routine

Sure, it’s been lovely to lie in ‘til midday and then eat curry for breakfast, but there’s something reassuring about routine. Set your alarm to give you time in the mornings, make sure you have your wardrobe ironed and ready to go, and plan your meals for the first week back. Most importantly, get to bed at a decent time: you need that beauty sleep!

Set yourself some back to school goals

What do you want to achieve this year? Is there a particular area of professional development you want to focus on? Of course, we all want to be Super Teacher and perfect at everything, but given that that is impossible, choose just three areas you want to improve or focus on. That way, you’re setting yourself up to achieve, rather than fail.

Organise, organise, organise!

Get your planner out and the data filled in. Sort your seating plans. Get hold of the school calendar, and write significant dates in your own diary. Get into your classroom and tidy up the detritus of last year. (Twinkl has some great secondary display materials to get things looking bright and engaging.) The first few days of term are likely to be chaotic – do whatever you can now to keep the confusion to a minimum!

Don’t sweat the small stuff

No matter what you do, something will go wrong. It’s guaranteed. Rather than agonising over these little bumps in the road, learn to embrace them. If there’s something which can be learned, take it on board. But then move on. If you start the year with this philosophy, then getting back to school will be far less stressful.

Remember: back to school is a marathon and not a sprint

It’s so tempting to power ahead when you get back after the six-week break. You’re invigorated and energised. Sure, you can take on that after school club! Extra classes? No problem! A school residential? Just what you always dreamed of! All these schemes may seem achievable now when you’ve just had six restful weeks, but imagine how you’ll feel at Christmas. Or Easter. Sure, volunteer for projects and be a team player, but don’t compromise your own wellbeing. Pace yourself. And remember the most important message of all: you got this.

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Seven Things Every Teacher Should Have in Their Desk
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