Strategies to prepare for a strong start to the school year

Preparation for the new school year can be hectic and cumbersome for teachers and school leaders, especially for new teachers. In this new year of 2023, all school teachers are preparing for the term-end examination, and afterward, there will be a long summer vacation. But if you think the new school year is too far away to plan for, then you are mistaken. Teachers will be busy with exam preparation and syllabus completion for the next few months. 

Additionally, some students who have lost two years of education will take up most of the teachers’ time. That is why it is important to start planning for the new academic session from now on. We will discuss a few strategies to prepare teachers for the new school year.

1. Review previous successes and failures

Every plan needs regular review from time to time. It is best for teachers to continuously evolve their teaching style and techniques so that they can grab their students’ attention. New teachers who are still learning to handle a classroom can get tremendous help from reviewing their previous successes and drawbacks in the classroom. 

Accordingly, they can consult senior teachers and staff for tips to improve their class presence and teaching techniques. For example, if a teaching technique in a mathematics class is not working, it needs to be fixed, or practices and working models used in physics or chemistry classes can work wonders.

2. Relook at old lesson plans

After the previous lockdown, a lot has changed in the education system. There is plenty of free online material available for kids and teachers to improve their knowledge and learning skills. It has been observed that many lesson plans and teaching techniques still need to be implemented in schools.

Teachers should revisit the old lesson plans and discard outdated learning methods. For instance, English has become the universal language for communication, but in the Indian education system, we still follow ancient teaching techniques for language studies. Teachers must be mindful of such outdated practices and implement new learning methods.

Also Read: 5 Ways Data Analytics Is Enhancing Education Technology in Schools

3. Professional development

They say that humans learn throughout their lives. Teachers must understand that the world is constantly changing, and acquiring new skills and knowledge can benefit them both professionally and personally. As the academic session comes to a close, teachers can utilize their free time during the summer vacation to learn something new. There are many summer workshops, webinars, and seminars available online and offline, waiting to be discovered.

4. Change the old routines

“Still water becomes stale over time.” The same theory applies to our routines and habits. People become bored performing the same tasks repeatedly. Teachers must change their routines at intervals. For example, a teacher can rearrange the classroom’s seating plan or change the roles and responsibilities given to students, take a lesson outside the classroom, invite alumni to class, and share their stories of achievements, etc. The main point here is that teachers should follow a more varied routine and always strive to do something different and new in the classroom.

5. Peer to peer learning

Teaching in the classroom can be hectic, and it takes a lot of patience to support each student equally. New teachers can take advice from senior teachers on managing a classroom, making lesson plans, managing disruptive behavior, etc. This will help teachers make their work and classroom more organized and engaging.

Planning and implementation, trial and error are two essential cornerstones of teaching. Teachers will try new things in the new school session and plan to improve the classroom experience. Some teachers might fail, and some will succeed, but they all must keep one thing in mind: the student learning outcome. These strategies will help teachers plan for the new school year.