New Position Pathway

Starting a New Position? Let's Make a Plan Together.

There's a lot to consider when you're switching to a new role, and it's soooo tempting to spend the summer before you start meticulously planning EVERYTHING.

But the truth is, you don't really know how to plan EVERYTHING until you get in the door and meet your students. So what's a nervous teacher to do with all that planning energy?

Consider your SYSTEMS. In this success pathway, we're going to set you up with creative, productive systems in place to help you enjoy this year.

Explore this path and take what you most need. It's OK to skip around and find what will help you feel confident going into your new job.

#1

Start with your syllabi.

Use these templates to create the basic bones of the courses you'll be teaching. Look at what you've inherited and push the text list in the direction of books you love if you can. Consider adding elements like book clubs or a choice reading unit, you can figure out the exact details later. This is also a great place to spell out clear policies with regard to late work, how to turn things in, how you'll communicate with parents and students, and how they can reach you.

Go to the Syllabus Templates
#2

Consider your Discussion Methods.

It's nice to have a system for discussion that you trust, or maybe a few. Whether it's Harkness, Socratic, Book Clubs, Hexagonal Thinking or some combination of them all, knowing your go-to discussion methods will be a big asset to you moving into the year.

Explore Discussion Methods
#3

Make a Cell Phone Policy.

How your students interact with their phones in your space is going to have a pretty big impact on how things go next year. Find out what your school's rules are and think about how to address this issue in class. This station activity and editable policy poster can help you get off on the right foot with your kiddos and their phones.

Check out the Cell Phone Stations
#4

Envision your Classroom Space.

Even if you're not allowed in until the day of teacher return, you can make plans for your classroom space. Consider how you will display student work and organize books for your classroom library. Ask your friends with plants to save some cuttings for you now. Now's also a great time to print some posters and bulletin board materials for the first month of school. Finally, consider having clear places for students to turn in work, return books, check for extra handouts, etc. Setting up clear systems from the start will save you trouble later.

Explore the Classroom Spaces Materials
#5

Be Intentional with Google Drive

Keeping your Google drive organized with helpful folders and a clear structure is going to make your life easier down the line. Setting up a flexible system before getting into the year will help you be prepared for the influx of digital materials you'll want to store inside Drive moving forward.

Get Ideas for an Organized Drive

Choose Activities for Week One

Now that you've got your syllabi, discussion methods, cell phone policy, and classroom space thought out, let's talk about the first week of school. Having a plan you feel truly confident in will help keep those anxiety dreams to a minimum so you can enjoy the energy of the first few days.

Day One: Name Tents

Learn names fast and enjoy day one with this engaging option.

Find this activity here.
Goals Poetry Tiles

Try this fun drag-and-drop poetry workshop to help students set goals for the year.

Find this activity here.

Summer Reading

Need an activity to dive into the summer reading? Try hexagonal thinking.

Find this activity here.

Attendance Questions

Start building relationships right away with this quick and fun daily activity.

Learn more and grab the slides here.
Icebreakers

Break up the ice and help your community form with these short activities.

Find these activities here.

Identity Unit

Want to extend community building through the first two weeks?

Try the identity unit.

Go Further

With creative systems in hand and plans for the first few days, peruse some of the creative curriculum options you might like to incorporate into your units as the year progresses.

Click on the link at the bottom of any topic square to explore further.

EXPLORE THROUGH THIS LINK

If you still have time and energy...

Start your Classroom Library

Having a classroom library will make a world of difference to your choice reading program, and therefore your students' love of reading, vocabulary development, and writing ability.

Summer is a great time to put the word out to family and friends that you are building a library, in case they have books to donate or can flag you for local book sales. It's also a great time to watch out for a cheap couch, armchair, or beanbag or two in your orbit.

Get More Ideas for your Library

PODCASTS FOR THE JOURNEY