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5 Ways To Prepare For The End Of The School Year

So you made it to the finish line . . . or the end is in sight, now what? I can honestly say that I always want to push that panic button but in the end, it isn't really worth it. I just consider these simple questions and thoughts and assess from there. Scroll on through and grab yourself a free teacher checklist, along with a free bingo game to keep you motivated!

Classroom with student desks and an end of year teacher checklist overlayed.

1. Organization is the Key

One of the best, yet nail-biting experiences is considering all the piles you are facing in your classroom. Also, are you the type of person who wanted to quickly clean up your room and so you ‘stuffed' things in random places?! Yeah … been there done that, too! I like to take a few afternoons, the last 2 – 3 weeks of school, and begin sorting my piles. I buy those easy, clear containers that have lids and can be stacked, also, perfect for sorting! I spread boxes and buckets around and just begin to sort and reorganize (if necessary). I also have a lot of papers to file and recycle. It seems time-consuming but can be done quickly. You also MAY NEED to remind yourself that some papers do not need to be kept . . . they can be recycled!

2. Using ‘Extra' Materials and Your Time Wisely

Do you have leftover prizes from a prize bin or cute little Hydro Flask stickers? Depending on how many items I have leftover I like to write cards to my students and send them some happy mail. As teachers, we love summer break, and while students may also enjoy their time out of school, it never hurts to reach out and let them know you are thinking of them!

Additionally, I find it is also SUPER easy to use the quiet time to take inventory of items I have in my classroom that I know will be a necessity the following year. Whether it be science materials or classroom library books!

Bright, colorful cards that were hand-written to my students.

3. Prep Specific Platforms

Does your school require you to keep a website during the year? Use this time to update your website before taking a summer break. This could include signing off with a summer message or providing students with summer activities to keep them busy, like these Summer Writing Prompts.

Also, use this time to update your teacher/office computer. This means you could save files to a hard drive, you could make sure you have updated all folders on your computer, you MAY even need to record all usernames and passwords for your most used and important websites because the Tech Department may decide to finally clean your computers over the summer and BAM it's all gone!

4. What NEEDS to come home?

Remember how I mentioned those classroom library books earlier? Even though I keep a list of all classroom library books, I still manage to bring them all home with me each summer. I like to give them a little extra TLC. I reseal a few bindings, note which books need to be replaced, and add new stickers to the spines. It may seem tedious but it looks really good when the fall rolls around. PLUS it gives me the chance to reread a few favorites from home and prep lesson plans for the upcoming school year, too!

A stack of books that are a part of my classroom library.  They have been labeled so students know where they belong.

5. So What About the Fall?

Currently, many of us are stuck in a lull. We have either heard of “plans” for what our fall will look like or perhaps the wildest of rumors. Never fear, no matter how everything unfolds, you will still have a classroom of sorts. You may have to physically return with no students and record digital videos. You may have to return with half the amount you normally have. You might also be returning, full class, full load, ready to roll! No matter which of these ways, if you have completed the steps mentioned above, you're in a good spot! Take a deep breath and enjoy your summer . . . YOU HAVE TRULY EARNED IT!

Let the good times roll!! You made it to the end! Have you considered any of these points listed above? Click here to grab your own FREE checklist of end-of-year items JUST FOR YOU as the teacher. Plus, click here to grab a fun little FREE Bingo game to keep you and your coworkers motivated. You could even turn it into a schoolwide staff challenge!

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End of the School Year Teacher Bingo created by Fifth is my jam!

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