You have heard it before - that you should start planning for next school year during these last weeks of school. Yes, life is very hectic right now. Tests and projects to grade and books to collect. Yes, all there is to think about is summer. The summer means time to read, relax, and just take time for yourself. Yes, you will thank yourself for taking time to plan now when you are starting to get lesson plans together for the beginning of the school year.

Taking time out of your busy end of school year schedule can be hard. Finding that time and effectively using it will make the entrance into next school year that much easier! There are a few different things to start planning now before the last day of school.

 

Reflect

During these last weeks of school take time out and reflect on this past school year. Ask yourself these questions: What have I learned from this year? What do I want to change next year? What do I want to remain the same? These are just three basic questions to start the thought process during your reflection time. While writing down these reflections, make sure to be specific so that you have no trouble remembering which lesson you are referring to or which activity being referenced, for example. This may take some time but it can help you when you are starting to make lesson plans.

Document

You will probably take down a lot of the things you put up during the school year but you love the location of that poster, chair, bookcase, etc. Take picture/ draw diagrams or whatever else will help you remember when you come in during those last weeks of summer to prepare your classroom for the year. This will take the stress off of trying to remember where something was located during the last school year.

Find a Friend

If you can find a coworker or friend that is also wanting to start planning now can make this process more exciting! Having someone else to plan with you can also keep you accountable and make the process easier. The meeting could be at a coffee shop or in the classroom fueled by coffee or snacks.

Order Products

This is a great time to order the products you need for the next school year. There could be some extra money in the budget to use and now is when you will have a better memory of the products you used and didn't use during the school year. You can also check products for frayed edges or other items that may need to be replaced or updated. Getting those items order will be one less thing to worry about over the summer.

Plan For the Summer

Now is a great time to plan out how and when you want to prepare for the following school year. This way you won't procrastinate to the last week of summer and be left stressing out during that time. Set up a planning schedule to give yourself plenty of time to plan and plenty of time to enjoy the summer. Setting goals for different items to be accomplished is a great way to stay on top of it. Using a friend to plan together is also a great way to keep yourself accountable all summer long! There are a lot of printables available online to help you plan everything out during the summer.

How do you like to plan during the last weeks of school? What do you like plan out? Let us know!