Starting a new semester!!!!
Aww, second semester is here. This means the winter blues are coming to an end and spring is almost in bloom. The first semester this year, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who felt #burntout. From covering classes to quarantining due to close contact to student apprehension to coming back to school, it felt like the first semester lasted 10 months. But now…
Welcome to a new start, a new semester!!! It is a great time to reset expectations for yourself and your students. When it comes to planning for a new semester, I have some ideas you may want to try to help make the semester better than the last.These ideas are good to think about no matter whether you are a new teacher or vet in the game.
Make a List
Teachers are notorious for making to-do lists. This list is going to be similar to KWL chart we give the students prior to learning something new. A KWL chart is an anticipatory set that asks students about a topic. The students are to list what they Know about the topic, what they Want to know, and what they Learned once the lesson is over. We can take this idea and twist it around as a teacher. The set-up will look something like this
When thinking about the past, don’t dwell on things that didn’t work. If you made it through the semester, there are some good things you should be able to list. Some things to think about are the relationships you built with students and their parents, grading system, curriculum, and work life balance.
When developing the changes for the new semester start small. It will be impossible to change everything over night. Some great advice from veteran teachers is to start with one item to change. ***Tip: if possible, set aside time one day out of the week to complete that task or make the change. This way you won’t feel overwhelmed.
Expect the Unexpected
Adaptation isn’t only a natural process for the wild. As teachers, we have to learn to be flexible and adapt to new circumstances every day. These past two years have taught us anything is possible and everything can change at the drop of a dime. Heading into the new semester, make sure you have a back-up plan. For me, one thing I plan to change is how I use technology. This semester, I want to use Google Classroom as my back-up plan. I create all of my notes and practice through Google anyways, so it won’t be anything added to my plate if I use Google Classroom as a back-up for students who miss days at school due to quarantine guidelines.
Communicate Expectations
Communication is key to resetting your expectations for the new semester. Now that you have an idea of things you want to change and know anything is to be expected, make sure your lines of communication are streamlined so that you cover all your bases. It is important to make sure students and parents are aware of your expectations. This semester, I plan to use this check sheet to help keep track of my communication between the students, parents, and counselors. It’s best to cover all your bases from the start versus waiting unless it is too late.
Another form of communication I plan on using is Talking Points. I used it sparingly the first semester, but it was a life changer for me. I used to use Remind as a form of contact between the parents, but the problem was not all of the parents signed up to receive the text messages. With Talking Points, I can input the parents’ numbers myself and send them messages. Talking Points has become my form of a weekly newsletter. I’ve had parents tell me they read my messages!!!!
Ready, Set, Go!!!
Of course, you can’t plan for everything. There are going to be things that come up, but have patience. The little changes you are thinking about will begin to add up to a great change by the end of the semester. James Clear said “If you get one percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done.” Ahh, motivation!!! I am wishing you the best in your new semester!!! Hope to hear from you in the comments about some changes you plan to make and how it is implemented throughout the year.