Whew! Did I just look at the date correctly??

As I am wrapping my mind around the fact that in a few weeks I will begin my 14th year of teaching, I still fill like it's the beginning again.  I still get excited and a little overwhelmed at the fact that I will have yet another group of young minds to learn from.  I am so thankful to have summer time to regroup, refresh, and renew my mind.  As August quickly approaches, I am starting to really think about getting in gear for setup, room theme, and plan of action.  I started tonight organizing my files on my jump drive for the upcoming year.  I like to get lesson plans outlined for the year according to the new dates in word documents and put them in month by month files.  I also like to look at unit plans and map things out on a written calendar.  I got the written part done on the plane back in June on the way to Michigan, so I can now refer to that as I get myself organized.

Something I would like to share with everyone is the way I started doing my back to school plans a few years ago.  I created a numbered list of tasks to accomplish each day so that I can check them off as I get things completed with the kids.  Then if I don't finish something, I just copy and paste to the next date and print.

(I was going to put a link, but couldn't find the button.)
Here is a Day 2 Example:

1. Greet Students
2. Tell where to put book bags.
3. Tell about Pencils
4. All About Me Packet
5. Finish Rock Star Profile.
6. Take up all finished work from yesterday.
7. Tell students what to do when finished working on packet – read books in book basket.
8. Model Pledge – Point to Pledge, Show them where the pledge words are in case they don’t know them.
9. Model 1 Min. of Silence
10. Attendance folder, lunch forms, money to office
11. Tell that I’m going to give numbers today
12. Tell about not going behind tables and where cabinets are
13. Practice Hand Signal
14. Hall Expectations  - How to walk, where to stand
15. Restroom Expectations – Restroom Break
16. Fire Drill Practice – Line Up – Walking outside
17. Remind about Name Tags
18. Discuss 1, 2, 3 consequences 1–verbal warning as I call attention to his/her action with a “1” and 5 points will be taken off
19. 2^- verbal warning as I call attention to his/her action with a “2” and 5 points will be taken off  - Time out
20. 3^- verbal warning as I call attention to his/her action with a “3” and 5 points will be taken off, also immediately sit in time-out.
21. Go over procedure for Paper bag show and tell
22. Time Capsule – Work on Towel Roll
23. Lunchroom – Fork Person
24. Lunchroom – Clean Tables
25. Door Holder
26. Line Leader
27. Empty Tray – Then sit with head down or quietly talk to a friend beside you.
28. After lunch – Restroom Break – Where to Line up – Don’t go inside room yet
29. Discuss Lunchroom/Hall/Restroom – What went well, What didn’t
30. Read David Gets in Trouble – Text to Self
31. Paper Bag Show & Tell
32. Talk about 100’s chart – Have students work on their 100 or more if they have time – Meet on the rug to discuss
33. Show & tell bag Model & Tell
34. All About Me Packet – Finish
35. Rock Star Music
36. Bushel of Fun Activity
37. Fishy Snack
38. Morning Routine – Discuss where to look if forget – What do I do in the morning? Chart
39. Clean Up
40. Before PE Chair Routine
41. Leaving for PE
42. ******Talk about What to do after PE

Thanks so much for stopping by!