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No Stress New School Year Prep for Teachers During Summer Break!

Thinking of the new school year doesn’t have to be overwhelming and stressful. Follow these painless strategies to feel prepared and relaxed as you think about the new school year. 

Get ready for the new school year with these 7 stress-free back to school ideas for summer break! 🎉Plus, you’ll find some freebies scattered throughout this article! đź’Ą

With a little planning, you can be ready for the new school year while still enjoying your summer break!

No Stress Back to School Planning for Teachers on Summer Break!

Get ready for the new school year with these 7 stress-free back-to-school ideas for summer break! 🎉

Plus, you’ll find some freebies scattered throughout this article! đź’Ą

1) Reflect on your teaching experience

Decisions about lesson planning, online learning platforms, managing behavior, assignments and homework policies, discipline procedures, and all the other things teachers have to worry about – it’s enough to make your head spin.

Teachers can use self-reflection to help plan for back to school

Summer is the perfect time to focus on strengthening a few areas needing improvement. Don’t stress yourself out by trying to tackle everything at once.

Instead, choose one or two areas to work on and then dive into some research. Look for blog articles written by other teachers who know the struggle.

Here’s a simple plan to get started:

  1. Make yourself comfortable in your favorite spot, whether it’s your porch, patio, or with the AC on full blast.
  2. Search the internet for reputable teaching websites and blogs to get some inspiration.
  3. Check out Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more ideas.
  4. Grab a refreshing cold drink and make yourself comfortable.

To help you organize your thoughts, I’ve included a couple of quick and easy Glows & Grows Self-Reflection pages. They have space for you to list your strengths and areas to improve, as well as a spot for jotting down any ideas that come to mind.

So why wait? Take advantage of the summer break and take your teaching skills to the next level!

teacher-glow-and-grow-freebie
CLICK to download this free form

2) Discover inspiring teacher websites and blogs

Uncover high-quality lessons and ideas on websites and blog posts dedicated to teaching.

Need help finding the right ones? Check Pinterest for blogs and teaching websites geared toward the topics and grade levels you need.

Teachers are so generous; they’re always ready to lend a hand and share their expertise. You’ll find articles covering every imaginable topic, subject, state standard, problem, worry, and concern.

The amazing sense of community among educators is pretty incredible. It’s comforting to know that other teachers go through the same emotions, worries, and issues as you.

A word of caution: If you stumble upon a blog that brings you down or makes you feel inadequate, it’s time to move on! No one’s classroom is perfect, despite what their social media might suggest.

Instead, seek out websites and blogs that inspire, boost your confidence, and excite you about teaching!

Once you find some favorite websites and blogs, sign up for their free emails to stay connected. As a bonus, many bloggers and teacher-authors offer freebies exclusively to their subscribers! Receiving their emails feels like receiving advice from trusted friends.


Grab the “No Stress” Back-to-School Checklist

FREE when you sign up for emails!

Download this FREE No Stress Back to School Checklist from Caffeine Queen Teacher

About the checklist ~

Get ready for a smooth start to the school year with our updated checklist packed with fantastic ideas!

We understand that each school has unique variables and precautions, so we’ve made sure to provide an editable version. Customize the lists to suit your needs perfectly!

Our goal is to make your back-to-school planning a breeze, so give our checklist a try and let us lighten your load!


3) Get a head start on lesson planning

Planning for the upcoming school year can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. Now is the time to start warming up your brain and figuring out where to begin with your lesson planning.

The first few days of school are often filled with boring rules and procedures. But don’t worry, just a few dollars can buy you some digital and print-and-go options that will save you time and make your life easier.

simple classroom rules bulletin board set for elementary classrooms - Bee Kind!
Click to visit Teachers Pay Teachers.

Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) is a great website with top-notch ideas to motivate and inspire you. It’s like Pinterest but for educators. Even if you don’t make a purchase, TpT is a great resource for generating lesson ideas.

To keep track of appealing resources and ideas, you can add them to your Wishlist, save them in your cart, or pin them to your Pinterest boards. I recommend starting a Pinterest board called “Back to School,” where you can save all your ideas.

image of a back-to-school word search and pennant to get to know students

For even more ideas, head to Pinterest and search for “Back to School.” You can refine your search by adding specifics like “for math teachers,” “for third grade,” or “for new teachers.” Before you know it, you’ll have a long list of ideas to browse through for years to come.

Just making a few decisions about the upcoming year opens your mind to the back-to-school excitement.

4) Plan New School Year Classroom DĂ©cor

Whether you’re looking for wall hangings, bulletin boards, or door decorations, Pinterest has tons of creative ideas.

With so many amazing ideas, deciding which ones to use in your classroom can be hard. That’s why I recommend spending time looking over the pins and boards and seeing what feels best to you and your vision.

Make a Pinterest board focusing on classroom decor and pin away! Start simple – avoid being overwhelmed. Maybe focus on just a few colors or themes to ease into the process.

Bulletin Boards:

What do you want on your bulletin boards? Will they stay the same as last year? Planning to change themes or colors? Need some new posters? Anchor charts?

Plan now, and you’ll have plenty of time to gather what you need.

You can turn regular anchor charts into online anchor charts through photos or learn to convert PDF versions to digital.

Order posters, borders, etc. now so you’ll have everything ready when the time comes.

Here are some ideas and resources from my Teachers Pay Teachers store: Reading, Writing, Elementary Math, Middle School Math, Character Education, Leadership, and Career Tech – CTE.

If you choose to purchase from Teachers Pay Teachers, add the resources to your wishlist or pin them to remember what you liked when it’s sale time or time to buy.

Here are a few teacher favorites:

product cover image of 2-Digit Multiplication and Long Division with 1-Digit Divisors BUNDLE
cover of Compare and Contrast Paired Passages Bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers

5) Rest and Recharge

Some days, you just need to turn off your teacher-brain. And that’s perfectly normal and perfectly healthy!

This is your time to recharge, and we all recharge in different ways.

Some teachers feel perfectly calm and relaxed as they look for new school year inspiration in books and websites about education.

Other teachers feel that Pinterest brings on anxiety. I mean, who are these perfect teachers with the perfect rooms? Seriously!

This is the time to flip on Netflix or another streaming service – anyone else binging their favorite chill shows? Binge-watching can calm your nerves and help you feel better.

My favorites are The Office, Schitt’s Creek, and other comedies I’ve seen hundreds of times. The familiarity calms my nerves.

And if the thought of school planning gives you the Sunday Scaries, that’s ok too. Listen to your body and mind. You just aren’t ready yet.

Whatever your style is – respect it and own it.

You’ll gradually get there.

You owe yourself time to recharge, and it’s very, very well deserved.

Give yourself permission without pressure and guilt. What advice would you give your best friend? Give that advice to yourself – and make yourself take it.

Spend time with your loved ones – including pets that relieve stress. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle the school year when school starts again.

In closing, I wish you the best with each passing year.

We’re all in this together and on the same team. Virtual high five!

This No-Stress Guide offers strategies and tips for teachers getting back to school ready while still enjoying summer break!

Looking for MORE Back-to-School Tips?

CLICK HERE to read 8 Back to School Tips Every Teacher Needs. 

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