Getting Ready for the Upcoming School Year

Welcome all-star teachers! Here is our weekly reflection question: Reflecting on the upcoming school year, do you feel you are prepared?

This past school year has been hard on a lot of us. I completely understand if you don’t want to even think about the new year that is upon us. Many of us have tried to juggle in-person learning/virtual learning and all the struggles that come with both. On top of that we have our daily compliance and advocating we have to do on behalf of our Language Learners.

This year for me was personally tough to navigate. I had so many various students with varying needs that I had difficulty meeting during virtual learning. The lack of communication and participation in assignments was extremely tough. There were some days that went by and I was truly confused on how I can support my students. Since I have an idea of what to expect, I can go into this upcoming school year feeling more prepared. 

One of the ways I am preparing is to take some deep reflections about what worked this year. For example, a rewards system that I set up this year really motivated the students throughout the year. I plan on improving on that system and use it for the upcoming school year. 

I also want to have a clear plan for building relationships with my students. During this reflection time, I realized I previously let it happen more organically. This upcoming school year I am planning to be more intentional with building relationships with my students. I am planning on taking more field trips, playing more games, and working on listening to more of their needs. 

This upcoming school year take some time to reflect on the previous. If you are a new teacher, think about some of the classes you observed this year. Weed through what worked for you and what areas that you need some improvement in. Once you have completed weeding through your thoughts and reflecting, make a plan. A plan will have you feeling confident going into the new school year. Just be mindful that plans can change. Be flexible and adjust if you see that something needs to be changed.

Your next steps are clear. Start reflecting and setting up a clear plan for the upcoming school year. Also, don’t forget to download the “The Ultimate ESL Teacher Guide” to help you get prepared for the upcoming school year! How are you planning on preparing for the upcoming school year?

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