Surviving Back to School Workdays: You Can Do It!

By Beth Hedrick

It's about school time once again, and time to rejoin our forces of academia to the future of the world! As we are preparing to do so, we may also be feeling that summer break was just not long enough, as those of us who get the “whole summer” off certainly do not get the whole summer off.

So, when August 1st rolls around many teachers are at the helm of a whole new year, and as they say “bye, bye” to summer, there are so many things to prepare before the students get off those school buses on that first day.

Emails
When you walk through that classroom door on your very first morning back, be mentally prepared as you open your email inbox. It will be full. When the inbox is opened you may need to simply walk away, and go get a cup of coffee (hopefully provided by your principal, along with donuts) so all of the messages can load and be ready to read. Understand that you will have to make a folder in your inbox for priority emails so you will not forget to either do what they say or reply to them. Of course, throughout the day, you will receive many more emails with things you need to know or actions you need to take. Just. Breathe.

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings
Meetings will happen during those first work days on a variety of instructional topics. A few meetings will be quite meaningful, while others may have you asking yourself…"why couldn’t they wait a few weeks into the year to have this?" My advice? Prepare yourself with a few yummy snacks, grab a latte on the way into work, and smile! Take as many notes as you can, have your calendar ready, and try to focus on what's being discussed. I have always found that if I am an active participant, ask questions, and think about any task at hand it helps the time go by much faster!

Classroom Prep
Classroom preparations are so important to every teacher. Every teacher wants to have time to get their classroom set-up and organized so they can feel completely satisfied before the students come. A nicely decorated, cheerful, and organized room makes a crucial first impression on students and parents, and as all teachers know, you must get off on the right foot that first day of school. It can actually determine how the school year will go!

Many teachers, including myself, go in a few days earlier to get the room looking all pretty and shiny so they don’t have to worry when they are in all of those meetings. For me, not worrying about my classroom being in total shambles is very much worth getting it all done beforehand!

Parent Night!
Parent night, for many school systems, happens before school begins. This gives the parents the opportunity to meet you and for their child to do the same. It gives you time to talk with each parent you will be connected with throughout the school year, will allow you to be able to collect forms and school supplies, and will give you the amazing opportunity to see and chat with your new students!

For some teachers, Parent Night can be a little stressful. This is mostly because the teachers have been working tirelessly in their classrooms during their little free time, and are very, very tired by the time the parents arrive. But we all seem to smile our way through it, and even laugh! And when it is over, we become excited about the first day of school!

At the end of the day, we are teachers. We love our jobs. Every job has its ups and downs, and in this profession it's important to stay positive and reflect on why we do what we do. It's all about the students, especially those students who depend on us to make every day positive. When we focus on the kids, building relationships and expanding their minds, we can’t go wrong!

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months.