A Fresh Start: Embracing the New School Year with Confidence and Creativity
As the new school year approaches, we teachers have the opportunity for growth, connection, and innovation. Whether you’re an experienced teacher or just starting out, these strategies can help you kick off the school year right, ensuring that each student feels supported and is eager to learn.
1. Creating a Welcoming Classroom Environment
First impressions matter. Set the tone for the year with a classroom that invites curiosity and creates a safe and welcoming environment. Use bright, inclusive decor and arrange your space to promote interaction and accessibility. Remember, a welcoming environment is one where every student feels seen, valued, and comfortable to speak up and take risks. For elementary teachers, understanding the social dynamics of the class is especially important to ensure no students are left out. Use a sociogram to assess the friendships and connections in your class quickly. Find out more about sociograms here!
2. Get to Know Your Students
Spend the initial weeks getting to know your students. Engage in activities that reveal their interests, learning preferences, and personal backgrounds. This knowledge is invaluable, not just in tailoring lessons, but in building connections that boost student engagement and trust. When you know your students, you can use themes in your lessons that are better aligned with their interests and you can avoid topics that may be harmful or triggering.
Keep in mind that during those first few days of school, all teachers in every period are doing icebreakers. Students are often hearing the same questions over and over again.
Here are some creative ways you can incorporate icebreakers that may be different than the ones they have done. We also recommend that you avoid putting students on the spot on the first day of school, as this may cause an increase in anxiety and have the opposite effect that we intend. Instead, opt for conversation starters in small groups which will allow for increased student talk time, giving you the opportunity to jump between groups and listen in to assess their English level. Who doesn’t love a two-for-one?!
3. Personalized Content Creation
Now that you know your students better, tailor your first few lessons to their interests and needs. As educators, one of the most impactful approaches we can adopt is creating content that resonates specifically with the needs and interests of our students. Utilize insights gained from your early interactions and assessments to design lessons that are not only relevant but also compelling to your students. But how can you design your own lessons, in such a short time? Easy-stick to your teaching goals, what do you want them to learn this month? Now take that teaching content and alter it to suit their needs, make it look engaging, or provide differentiated levels or choices: Here are three tools to help you:
Transfer and adapt existing handouts easily through Canva! Here is our free Canva tutorial: Canva 101 for Teachers!
Create new lessons or adapt existing presentations to make them interactive through Curipod! See the videos here!
Use Diffit to differentiate texts for your students! New teachers can get a free premium account for a year! Learn more here!
Lastly, to get a full overview of how you can create all your content specific to your students’ needs join our course How to Write an LES. This course is sure to boost your creativity, and increase your knowledge of the latest teaching strategies, and how you can use technology to create quickly and effectively!
4. Early Interventions Through Universal Screening
Don’t wait for students to fail before taking action. More often than not, early reading difficulties are not dealt with quickly enough because we tend to hope that the student will eventually catch up. This is extremely harmful for students who are at risk of specific learning difficulties. Early learning delays need to be addressed immediately. However sometimes, by the time a child has reached the 4th-grade, 6th-grade or even high school, the child has learned to mask their difficulties and reads by making predictions rather than decoding the text. Implementing universal screening tools in the first weeks can alert you to potential academic or social-emotional difficulties. Early detection allows for swift interventions, which can be tailored to individual needs, ensuring that every student gets the support they require to succeed.
Tools such as Dibels or Acadience provide ready-to-print handouts to help you assess your students’ reading level quickly and provide standardized measures that tell you if a student is reading at grade level or below. You can then use this data to consult with your team, communicate with parents and monitor student progress.
Learn more about these tools here: Acadience | Dibels
5. Using Positive Psychology and Cultivate a Growth Mindset
Encourage a classroom culture that celebrates effort over innate ability. Teach your students the power of 'yet'—as in, "I don’t know this yet" or "I can’t do this yet." This small word implies learning is a journey, and failure is just another step towards success.
Studies have shown that people who view their lives as one hero’s journey after another increases motivation and perseverance. This combined with an understanding of personal character strengths can help your students cultivate a Growth Mindset. If you want to embark on this journey with your students we’ve created an LES to guide you through it. Learn more about our Hero’s Journey LES here!
6. Embrace the Power of AI and Enhance your Teaching
Integrate technology to enhance learning and increase engagement. Digital tools not only engage students but also help them take ownership of their learning process. While using AI with your students is not for everyone, you can use AI tools such as Diffit, Twee, Curipod, and MagicSchool.ai to help you create engaging material. Don’t be afraid to explore these tools. You can even take your existing PowerPoints and slides and make them interactive using Curipod. Keep up with our content on Instagram and Facebook to receive quick Edtech tips that you can apply to your teaching.
Furthermore, while the use of AI by students is not widely accepted, the importance of teaching the ethical and responsible use of AI is essential. To help you do so we have crafted an LES just for you high school teachers. Find it here!
7. Continuous Professional Development - Stay on Top of your Game!
Lastly, as educators, our learning never stops. Engage in professional development opportunities to stay updated with the latest educational strategies and technologies. Sharing experiences and insights with colleagues can also provide new perspectives and strategies that enhance your teaching.
With the shortage of teachers, we know there are a lot of Non-Legally-Qualified teachers teaching ESL, or even teachers who have been out of the field for some time. While we commend your efforts and courage, jumping into a field without the background knowledge that your peers have can be daunting! To help you out, we’ve created a new online course just for you!
Find out more about our TESL Crash Course here!
To sum up, the start of the school year is a time of optimism and potential. By creating a welcoming environment, understanding and responding to our students’ needs, and taking proactive steps to ensure their success, we can make this school year exceptionally rewarding. Remember, each school year is a chance to transform lives and inspire a new generation of learners. Let’s make it count!