Get your beach towels ready and put on your sunscreen because teacher summer is just around the corner! As the countdown begins and the school year comes to a close, it's time to make sure you've got all your teacher summer prep essentials covered. Before you get your travel bags ready, be sure to check out this ultimate guide to the must dos every teacher should prep before summer break.
7 Teacher Summer Prep Tips for the End of the Year
1. Purge/ Declutter
The end of the year is the perfect opportunity to bid farewell to all the clutter that's been lingering in your classroom. Say goodbye to those extra copies that never made it into students' hands, wave farewell to the files that have served their purpose, and make way for a cleaner, more streamlined learning space. But wait, there's more! Set aside some goodies that your students can happily snatch up, like those abandoned art supplies just waiting to be transformed into treasures. They'll love creating their very own goody bags to take home.
You can spread the love even further by creating a donation box and making a trip to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army after school. Not only will you clear up space, but you'll also make someone else's day brighter. I don’t know about you, but I always feel so much better after a good decluttering. So, be sure to add it to your teacher summer prep list!
2. Take Inventory
Have you noticed when July rolls around, suddenly every store becomes a back-to-school extravaganza! Just as we start soaking up our well-deserved summer break, bam! It's time to dive into the back to school supply frenzy. However, I have a plan to save you from buying duplicates and keep your budget intact. Introducing the mighty inventory list!
Before the final bell rings, take a stroll through your classroom and jot down all the supplies you already have. You can also note items that need to be purchased. No more panic purchases or accidental notebook hoarding. Let's face it, teachers are the ultimate budgeting pros, especially during summer.
3. Prep for the First Week
Here’s a teacher summer prep tip that'll save you from copy machine chaos and keep your sanity intact. This tip is a game-changer. Picture this: you've returned from your summer break, set up your classroom like a boss, and endured the beginning-of-the-year PD sessions like a champ. The last thing you need is to be stuck in a never-ending line at the copy machine, right? And let's not forget that mischievous copy machine that loves to break down at the most inconvenient times.
Well, fear not! You can take charge of the situation and make all the copies you'll need for the first week of school in advance. Trust me, it's like having a secret superpower. Store those prepped copies in a box, so when August hits, you can simply whip it out, and voila! You're ready to conquer the world (or at least the first week of school) in a flash.
4. Prep Back to School Items
Now that you know the importance of making copies for the first week of school, why stop there? Let's take it to the next level! Think ahead and make copies of those essential items you know you'll need throughout the school year. Need a birthday book for your awesome students? Copy it now and save yourself the headache later. What about class money, spelling lists, or journal menus? Yup, you guessed it! Make extra copies of those too. You'll thank yourself later when you've got everything you need at your fingertips.
5. Take Pictures of Classroom Setup
Before heading out the door for your summer adventure, make sure you whip out your phone and take photos of your classroom set up. This will help you in the event you come back only to find that the furniture has staged a wild dance party in your absence. Or, horror of horrors, you're informed that you'll be switching rooms! Having photos to refer back to will make sure you don’t have to start from scratch and make set up a breeze.
6. Create A Desk Box and Bulletin Board Kit
Most teachers have to clear the surfaces at the end of the year and do some light packing up of supplies. Say goodbye to frantic searches for supplies when school starts again. With a desk box, pack all your must-have items like the almighty Flair pens, a trusty stapler, tape that sticks like a champ, dry erase markers for those spontaneous brainstorming sessions, and any other essentials you'll need right away. Imagine the sheer joy of having everything you need at your fingertips, ready to tackle the new school year like a boss!
But wait, there's more! Don’t forget to also pack a bulletin board kit. Gather up all your borders, your stapler (the unsung hero of bulletin boards), painter's tape for those perfect lines, and anything else you'll need to transform your classroom into an artistic wonderland. Your future self will thank you, and back-to-school stress will be a thing of the past.
Teacher Summer To Do List
Last but not least on the teacher summer prep list is to make a short (emphasis on short) to do list to complete in the summer. Take a moment, grab a fancy pen, and jot down a few must-do items to conquer during the break. For example, do you put together a stellar first day gift, set up homework folders, or make birthday bags? Add them to the list. And here's the best part: create class sets of these goodies over the summer. You'll be ready to rock the new school year.
There you have it! You've made it to the finish line and are about to embark on a well-deserved summer adventure. By adding these 7 important things to your teacher summer prep list before the last day of school, you’ll be all set in the fall. Your future self will be doing a happy dance, thanking you for the order and preparedness you've bestowed upon your teacher life. So go forth and enjoy that summer sun!
If you have any additional end of the year tips, I’d love to hear about them. Share your wisdom and sprinkle some magic in the comments below.
You May Also Like:
The One Box You Need to Pack Now for Back to School by Chalk & Apples
5 Mistakes Teachers Make At The End Of The Year by Diary of the Not So Wimpy Teacher
Exciting Ideas for Welcoming Students Back to School
Why An Agenda for Back to School Night is Extremely Important
No Comments