Get Your Plan On!

The 2013-2014 school year is slowly creeping in. I actually have to go back August 12th. That is earliest, I have ever gone back. I'm not quite ready but I am starting to get my plan on. I like to be planned ahead so I don't feel overwhelmed when sitting in the first couple days of professional development. Here is a unit of tools that I use to help me have a successful year.

Click here or any of the pictures to view my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

How do I use these Calendars?

 

I always start by going through each calendar page and writing all of the days we are out of school, early dismissal days, or any special days. This keeps them from creeping up on me during the year. Nothing is worse than having not enough time to get everything done.

 

Then I go through and add in key themes I teach throughout the school year. My next goal is to look at my standards and figure out what needs to mastered for this time of the year. This way the activities that I put with my themes are purposeful and help kiddos reach their goals.

 

I always write in pencil and I save my calendars from year to year. I change as a teacher every year to meet the needs of my students  but I also believe you shouldn't throw the baby out the with bathtub. If something works keep it. If it doesn't, it is time to toss it out.

 

I love these for an overview and for specific planning. I especially like the intervention planning template so that I have a hardcopy of what I have tried with my kiddos. We are in the age of document, document, document.

 

I love the copying instruction page for classroom volunteers. It is so nice to have all of my instructions in one place. I used to be the sticky note queen but I was so frustrated when I lost a note or it stuck to another page and I got double of something I didn't need.

I also need to prioritize my To Do list. I like to do whatever is the most creative and fun first. However, that is usually not the most important item on the list. Sigh!

I like having both of these items readily available. I never truly feel ready to get planning until I have made my classroom map. I also never like the feeling of a student birthday creeping up on me. I also add colleagues to this birthday list. I never want to forget them either. :)

Click here to visit my Teacher Pay Teachers page and Happy Planning!