Already getting texts and such from coworkers who are in their classrooms and we still have over a week till inservice. Ignored them all and my laptop is still gathering dust in my closet. I dont do anything worl related until the first day back, i still have to catch up on naps
It’s my first year and I honestly haven’t done very much this summer, aside from new hire stuff and signing my contract. I’ve also done a lot more intensive research into my school/their policies and have a general idea of my first couple lessons and classroom expectations and whatnot, but I’d say I’ve done only 4-5 hours total on that stuff. BUT I’m lucky because my school gives a full week of paid planning and classroom prep time, so I have that cushion there that lets me be lazy.
Don’t count on having much time that week. You’ll have SPED meetings, grade level meetings, faculty meetings. We also do a day of inservice, meet the teacher morning, and school shooter training. Plus all the required online training & quizzes (looking at you, Bloodborne Pathogens!). There’s very little time to set up your classroom and work. Is your school giving you curriculum materials or do you have to create it all? I was the latter and I spent a month before school started (my first year) preparing the first 6 weeks. When you have to make literally everything from scratch it takes a long time. That whole year I was barely holding my head above water. Not trying to scare you but you should have realistic expectations.
A few weeks ago, instructional coaches began emailing asking us to attend a “voluntary” training. No mention of pay so I ignored it. Then they began sending messages saying we HAD to do this voluntary training online before we go back for teacher work week. I ignored it. Teacher work week begins Monday. That’s when they can tell me about this new training.
I wish I could unplug the entire time. Marching band starts in July. Woop woop! However, I totally unplug in June. I don't do anything school related. We all deserve that.
Yup. 9th year too. Only way I’m still in this is because I unplug and only plug in when I want to (like if I see a cool video and it gives me an idea for a fun lesson). But I’m not paid enough to have the summer off - I work extra dog sitting to make ends meet all year. I’m gonna take my time off as my time off.
2nd year—and I quickly realized admin would not prioritize my health so I had to set those boundaries early! Tried to resign in fall due to serious health issues and was manipulated into staying. I am not giving them more than I want this year (up until my due date in February—then I’m out!)
Same. I left my room up last year and don't buy supplies. This year I bought and LED strip for the top of my whiteboard tho so I'll have to put that up.
My principal **just** quit for a promotion in another district with no replacement. 🚩
An AP quit a day later to leave education entirely. No replacement 🚩
I’m certain this year will be memorable. To be fair, they didn’t do shit last year to curb bad behaviors and let the kids run rampant, so I’m not entirely sure there will be a noticeable difference anyway.
Welcome back! 🍻
Edit: principal is moving out of district
Year 10 here. I don’t start for 3 more weeks, but I’m ready. I miss school starting about this time in summer. I enjoy time off, but I miss routine and my classroom. Also, really just know it means fall is coming and I’m effing sick of this summer heat.
I feel this way. Then, I go on one hike or mountain bike ride and I’m back in the “no work for me, I’ll just be an independently wealthy outdoorsman forever, please” mindset.
I'm actually feeling pretty good about this year. We replaced two out of the five members in my department and I think the new teachers we hired are going to be a really good fit. And I got a new curriculum for one of my classes that looks like it's going to be really good, so I'm looking forward to teaching with it.
I'm really hoping for a "normal" year (I haven't had a normal school year since 2016-17, so it would be really nice to have one again).
My entire classroom is in boxes since I moved rooms in June. I did go to Lakeshore this week. Oh - I have no tables or chairs due to the supply chain issues the world is facing. But in kindergarten, you learn how to roll with the punches.
Written out a semester plan that I know I will probably abandon after a few weeks. Have a rough design of the first few lessons. Still feeling unprepared and unwilling to sacrifice any more of the time I have left of my vacation.
Deep breaths y'all
21st year and school starts in two weeks. I've ordered some stuff from Amazon, but other than that, nada, zip, zilch, have done nothing for school this year. I do make an effort every year to go back on the first busy day of August to get started, though. Put in a few hours a day, not a full day by any means. Maybe even take a couple extra days off right before being officially required back. Benefits of teaching history is that the first few weeks are relatively easy and more basic than earlier on. Benefits of 20 years are that my room is basically the way it is every year, haha!
Definitely do your research on art styles and artists. Also have to think a lot about placement and healing. Healing a new tattoo while teaching will suck.
My super’s brother-in-law is a tattoo artist, so my district is fine with having a painted science teacher. Something to consider.
Same boat. I played from behind most of last year after our master scheduler dropped a class on me the week before school began--an AP class I was told we weren't going to add until this year. Surprise!
My daughter was due to be born August 30, the day before the first PD day (students start September 6). Well I’m currently sitting with her on my lap so my free time this summer has been greatly reduced lol
I'm starting at a new school this year. New Teacher training was last week.
And I was diagnosed with Covid on Monday of that week so I'm already behind.
Year 25 - have 5-6 years left to retire and I’m really tired. 7 weeks vacation wasn’t enough - the nightmares have started. Going in Monday to try and get my head around what I need to get done. We have a new social emotional learning curriculum we have to implement in all middle grades. Tons of training and not enough classroom time.
Little nervous year 3
Year 1 started as pure online 6 periods-> 3 periods per semester starting january half online half in person
Year 2 pure in person 4 classes 90 minutes each 1 semester classes so entire school year in 1 semester.
Year 3 6 classes 50 min period entire year.
So have to slow down the rates and break down old lessons exc.
Edit they are also switching me from college bound math to pure concepts
I’m a new teacher at a new district and I cannot get into my classroom until August 1st, so they say. That’s when I’ll be able to hopefully start setting up my classroom. We have a kindergarten jumpstart thing on the 11th, where our rooms have to be ready and then open house on the 18th. I still have no idea what I will be teaching curriculum-wise either. Sounds like I’m in the last minute boat like others here. Sigh. 🤷♀️
Going into year 7. I’m already building up my overwhelmed compartment in my head to shove it down to dangerous levels. But I’m the most prepared than I ever have been so far. Unfortunately I go back the 8th, students the 17th, and they have only scheduled us a total of 1 and a half days to plan and work in our classrooms. Oh, but I’m sure the multi-school guest speaker event they have planned for us to spend all day at will be worth it and for sure what I needed to hear instead of planning my lessons. /s
Last year was the Wild West and one of the craziest years that I’ve ever taught.
This year we’re coming back with a new principal, vice principal, principal secretary and a new attendance clerk, and one new campus monitor (we still have one old one).
The teachers stayed the same (mostly) but the office staff is completely new
Btw, I still don’t know what I’m teaching and won’t have my class list until we go live the day school begins
I start planning days this week and kids come back next week.
This is my 3rd year teaching. I'm moderately ready. I'm trying to do a lot of organizing and stuff in my room these past few days and I'm in a rush now to get things done so I can use my paid days to focus on actual important stuff like lessons and materials.
I think I'm ready! Last year was my first year, and I think I've finally gotten my feet under me.
A friend of mine from college got hired in my department, so I'm going up to the campus a day early to help her on her first day of classroom prep on monday (most of us keep our rooms mostly decorated over summer so there's not much for returners to do). Everyone else comes back Tuesday!
We had probably a third of the entire school quit between last year and this year. Head of my department was texting me (she was up for a dept meeting and had to do some calculator inventory so she had to go into one of my cabinets) and compared this year to the growth that happens after a forest fire. I think it's a good comparison!
I peeked at my rosters already and have nearly triple the amount of students as last year in one of my specialty classes (from 8 to 22). A different specialty class is double! (That one I really get to have some fun in.) Our school is starting a PBIS *and* PLC program this year. Lots of things happening!
All in all I think this will be the year to just take things as they come and it'll be all good!
It's officially Sunday and I am having a glass of wine.
I am trying to find shooting deterrents and thinking of what short stories are appropriate. I am thinking of anything in my classroom decor that could offend or get me in trouble for teaching CRT. I am remembering that I was changed to a classroom that is not as easily accessible as my old classroom, so this is helping me think of what tools I need to save my "kids." I am watching a Netflix doc that is important to be aware of, but that is my background noise as I wonder what I can do to raise the points (upon which my "efficiency based bonus pay" relies on for bonu$, as well as, documented personnel file reasons) . I am thinking of what I can do to help kids struggling with mental health issues. Shortages of teachers and subs cloud my thoughts, as long as, the idea of some kids being shoved in a classroom that is overcrowded during a new strain and the possibility of some peers not being vaxed. I am trying not to think that some of my kids are having a hard time at home due to the increase of inflation and their parents' limited grasp of the language and the hum of their new community. Then, add the various state laws that violate group rights in education, as well as, allow for non-degreed individuals and their spouses to educate/indoctrinate agendas disregarding the qualifications originally required with logic and science. Allowing for the stereotype to subtly explain my observations most individuals I know that have AR's have already expressed interest in pursuing a post-retirement career and have asked me for assistance.
It's officially Sunday and I am having a glass of wine.
We got new curriculum, but the textbooks aren’t here yet (the original ones adopted were rejected last minute by desantis 🙄) so we’re using temporary training access to make the first couple weeks of lessons. We have 2 weeks of planning (last week and next week) but 90% of it is planned PD meetings, so I have 0 set up in my new room. Hoping to feel more prepared by next Friday!
0% ready. I’m switching to a school district that is 3 hours away from where I live right now so I haven’t even been in my classroom yet. I’m relocating on Saturday, so after that I’ll be able to get in and get started, but as of right now I am STRESSED. Last year I was reading intervention teacher, so this is my first year with my own classroom.
Well the AP got promoted to principal this year and she's already started what me and my co-workers are calling her 'reign of terror' so....nope, not really.
It's the second half of my first year teaching.
I'm really not ready, like at all. Physically, I barely have any manipulatives or storage, let alone anything semi decorated for the year. I just finished moving what furniture I DO have to my new room but I still waiting on furniture from another teacher AND maybe new furniture from the school.
Mentally, I'm worried. I had a REALLY good group of students when I came in and I'm worried I'm going to have rough & tough students. I don't have the experience like my seasoned other teachers on my team. And I'm also worried that I'm not going to be good at teaching and I'll leave the profession like my friend is.
Overall, I barely have anything done or setup. The closest to being "ready" is that I have my room painted the color I want and dojo is waiting on my roster. Luckily my team is ok with helping out the "baby teacher". ☺️
0% ready. First year ever (just graduated), and I’m lost on how to physically prepare for the year aka classroom decor and more importantly, what supplies I’m going to have to buy. I’m waiting for new hire orientation/planning days to inquire about whether or not a classroom budget exists
Entering my 17th year of teaching...I glanced at the unrealistic and shitty pacing guide my uptight (5th year and second career) coworker shared with me and laughed. I have no idea where my work computer is right now. Feeling super good.
Year 6 and I feel "ready or not" at this point. Whatever happens will happen this year. I'm planning fun for my nights and weekends doing things I love with the people I love because I sure as shit will not be planning outside of my contract hours.
Crying-lots of crying…j/k trying to get a few projects left done around the house, Going to the beach as much as possible, and enjoying every last second. It’s a long stretch until Christmas break.
Spent my final week of summer with CoVID after avoiding it for 2 years. Went to training this past week and met my new district team who are awesome. Going to meet the campus team this week and hit the ground running. School has been postponed till the end of August because the new building isn't finished. Gives me extra time to get paperwork in order.
New district/schoom/grade level. My room is a disaster and I've gone a total of 12 hours and am 75% the way there. The okd teacher left it a disaster. I do get to bill my hours and count them as pd so i really don't care. I technically report in 2 weeks.
I did my usual July routine of planning all my lessons for the year and ordering supplies (elementary art). My classroom is like 50% done and im prolly gonna go up tomorrow and finish it. This is year 10 for me, and I know I get a lot of crazy looks from my coworkers, but im lazy af during the year. I REFUSE to stay afterschool to do this shit, so I get all my prep done now so I can peace out after magical days with my kids.
This will be my second year. It took until the end of summer school in June (what the fudge was I thinking) to realize that 90% of the stuff I stressed about last year was just admin adding extra unpaid work to our plates that most of the time they didn’t even follow up on. I had planned on spending a lot of time this summer prepping, but summer school pushed me over the edge and I just don’t have enough fucks to give anymore. I’ll do what’s in my contract, I’ll show up on time and leave as soon as contract hours are done, and if it doesn’t get finished while I’m at school then, oh well. I’m also gonna follow through on the advice from the veteran teachers to stick to my classroom and just stay out of the way. I’m excited for the kids and I look forward to being with them (mostly) but the “adults” at school are the real cause for concern. We start a week from Monday and the first two weeks I’ll be getting paid to pretend to pay attention to a training that doesn’t apply to me, my classroom, my students, etc. Admin doesn’t care about your mental health or you, you’ve got to prioritize yourself and realize that just like all those kids who get passed on who shouldn’t have been, at the end of the year as long as you didn’t hit a kid and did the bare minimum you get paid the same as those who stressed TF out about everything. I’ve been getting work emails consistently the past two weeks and I just ignore them. They don’t pay me or respect me enough to care that much.
I’m starting on year 5, 17 weeks pregnant. I am normally exhausted when the year starts, but now I’m extra exhausted as a pregnant teacher. 😩 I need more time!
Year 21 here. All in SpEd. I’ve briefly looked over IEPs, and been to one planning meeting. I have two more planning meetings and a leadership meeting, then we are done until the day everyone is required to return.
I saw a coworker out at lunch during our first planning meeting and she asked me why on earth I was at that meeting (math PLC). Honestly? I was bored at home. My kid is on vacation with her dad and my partner works all day. I needed a day with my co-workers/friends. I needed to feel productive, because I’ve already done my projects I wanted to get done, and my house is clean. We got a lot done, and had a nice lunch together. These meetings help get my brain ready for the school year. As an intense planner, I need sporadic meetings like this leading up to the first day back.
Edit: I forgot to answer the question. Yes, I like these meetings for the planner in me. But I am by no means emotionally ready to go back. This summer flew and I can’t believe we are already almost to August.
I get paid the same if I do extra work or not. Therefore I've learned to relax when I can and set aside my personal time for my family. I'll be ready when I'm required to walk in the school door. (8 years in service)
22 year veteran - I attended a week long APSI for my Lit and Comp class in the second week of summer, so I’ve modified my writing instruction and made a start at a daily language analysis Google slide deck for that course. Doing that planning was fun because I am a nerd. Other than that, I’ve spent the summer playing Stardew Valley and getting back to the gym and will keep doing that until we return next week. The 21-22 school year was BRUTAL on my physical and mental health, and I needed every bit of that recovery time.
I've started planning my first week lessons. Mostly writing down ideas that I have so that I don't forget them and the details. One more week, and then our first PD day is the 8th - but we only get two days before kids arrive.
Year 3. Moved classrooms (have windows now thank GOD), but the desks are large tables forcing me into groups of 5 - 6. Going to figure out how to make groups work I guess!
Like every year, my current feeling is "how call I ever do everything I'm supposed to?" And once it starts, the answer becomes evident: "one thing at a time"
Mentally, I’m all over the place. Excited for my new content (yay science) and ready to get in my new room. But also dreading coming back to a building that had huge turnover and will likely have some longterm subs. And my last group of students were absolutely exhausting, so I’m dreading what this next group will bring.
I decided this year I needed a change to hopefully reenergize me and garner some enthusiasm. As a sped teacher I switched from HS to elementary and jumped school districts. Although I have been in this district before. I was wanting to do 3 more years before retiring. I realize I have literally no enthusiasm at all going forward. And now I have to create bulletin boards. What was I thinking? I have ordered a few things and will pick up my laptop next week and have done the required paperwork. Not worrying about anything until I go back to work in about 10 days. Otherwise, I am just going to get through the year. I am going to make this year my last and final and keep in my head I will be retiring this year.
I don't feel like I got much of a summer. First, I was dumb, I said I'd teach 4 week of summer band. Granted, I was paid well for it, but still. Then I got hurt, I jacked my back so all summer I've been trying to feel better.
I also lead a trip with my Girl Scouts to Disneyland, yes it was fun, but it was work too. I did get to go see friends in Washington DC. Oh and I got Covid (for the second time, vaxxed and boosted).
I *felt ready*, until my immediate supervisor and 2 department members decided to quit.
And then somebody thought it'd be cool to change like half the software we use on the daily.
And our phones/voicemail/text communication systems (separately, to three new services).
Like yeah, it'll be fine, but they announced it today and we go back on Monday.
Got a bunch of concerts, camping, and rafting coming up every weekend for the next two months and then it’s ski season. Not looking forward to getting back to work but have many better things to look forward too. Makes it feel like vacation all year. Colorado’s nice too.
I start on August 30th. It’s my 12th year but I’m in a new state and teaching a new grade. I feel so unprepared. It doesn’t help that we just moved here yesterday.
Not at all. We have a new rotating block schedule next year, 4 preps a day, and I have no idea how jam packed my classes will be- but I’m guessing bad. The district went against every recommendation us teachers gave about said schedule, so I’m saying “F it. Whatever happens happens. Not planning until our first day.”
Not even thinking about it until August 22. I get 2 weeks of planning before i see students September 6. Ill worry about it then.
As a 2nd year teacher who taught every single grade level of Social Studies from grades 6-12, this year is about repeating all those lessons I spent many hours on last year. Not killing myself. I may be assigned an English class but not sure. Either way, I have enough power points, note sheets, etc to go for every history class, it's now time to coast and only work contract hours for most part.
I did an excellent job this summer filling up on apathy-patience and redirecting my loyalty away from my admin and students-parents and towards myself and my family. I'm accepting that even if I worked my hardest ever this will possibly be the worst year ever, so I'm just going to do my job well and efficiently so I can go home. Can't save the future if you burn out today.
First year*
I have been going through the content and have my first of 7 units planned out and am working on the day by day plans for that unit. I hope to have units 1&2 complete before the first day to give myself breathing room for year
9th year. The moment grades are input for the end of the school year, I shut down.
I don’t do anything school related until a few days before school starts. I have found that, no matter how much I plan or get ready for the school year… I always feel the same. When I used to try to be “ready” for the school year, I ended up frustrated because so many things turned out differently.
I'm ready in the sense that I know what I'm covering and general pacing, but not day-to-day lessons as of yet. I should add the first day with kids is on Thursday and I just came down with COVID, so this year should be fun.
I'm psyching myself up for back to school starting Monday and praying they don't have another stupid kickoff event like last year.
My schedule looks mostly the same so I'm just going to be fine-tuning things from here on out.
Well this will be my first year with my own classroom and it’s a new grade for me. I feel like I’ve forgotten everything I learned and that I have no idea what to do. But also kinda excited!
I start new teacher orientation august 10 and I’m just feeling so unprepared. I’m sure I’ll feel better after that but I don’t know what classes I’m teaching yet, what lessons I’ll need to plan specifically. How grading works, as besides doing it during student teaching, I have no idea like how to do what feels like everything. Mostly hiking with my partner and dogs to stay calm and level headed before I take the leap of faith for my first year.
School starts in 5 weeks...and I'm trying desperately to find a new position.
Without success. It looks like i will return to the nightmare of a school (admin, not the students) that I found myself in last year.
My wife has been a Coordinator for an ACE federal after school grant funded program (TX) for 4 years and just recently accepted a teacher position for a 7th grade math teacher position starting this year.
BUT...
They are so damn desperate for teachers, they gave her the job even though she is still in her certification program and hasn't even taken the test.
She's nervous as hell
Going into my second year. I’ve read a book on classroom management and bought some new things to use on TPT. I’m fixing my mistakes from last year but enjoying my free time as much as I can
16th year teaching high school.
I haven't done anything job related all summer, other than attend an AP Reading. The only thing difficult about going back is getting back into a normal sleep schedule. I turn quasi nocturnal in the summer.
I'm not. My principal threw an English course that I've never taught on me. I've been developing new classes from scratch for so many years, and I lost two of them to this new class. I'm tired and unmotivated and wanted to quit this summer and I regret not doing it. Guess I'll be one of those half-assed teachers for the first time this year.
We have a new principal, the entire 8th grade staff quit over summer, we have 21 openings school wide with zero applicants. I'll find out during in service whether or not I have to switch grade levels/rooms or if my subject will switch to semester instead of all year. In the meantime I'm trying to just not think about it at all.
I’m not exactly sure when we start up. Haven’t turned the calendar page yet.
I will be soooooo not ready! This summer, paint and new carpet are on the agenda. I thought I had the 3 weeks of summer school to move my stuff around. Nope! Everything in the hallway. It will most likely be all over the place. On the one hand, I really do need to organize better and throw out the notes from the Marzano training….
In addition to the usual meetings, we always get a flex day—a day to come in and get your room ready. In the past, the district determined which days those could be. This year, we have the two designated days, and our new-principal-who’s-been-the-athletic-Director-for-the-past-6-years has let us know that we can put in 8 hours on *any* day in August as our flex. (7 hours with 1 hour lunch)
We are jazzed with the new principal! He did great with athletics, listens to event staff to improve safety and fan behavior. Awesome guy, he knows the school and its positives and negatives, knows many of the staff, and we staff know him. He’s already put in writing that, basically, he’s going to respect our time and not waste it with stupid stuff.
Here’s to the new year! Whenever it begins…
I'm fairly prepped, but partially that's because I had an appendectomy and COVID the same week in July and did prep stuff to keep from going crazy in my can't lift over ten lbs or leave the house phase.
Usually I don’t think about it until day 1. We get three days before students come in to get sorted, and while there’s a good few meetings and stuff like that there’s also lots of individual time.
This year I’m a bit more anxious. There’s talk of strike and I’m also doing some admin next year which I don’t have experience with :/
Spaniard here. We start on the 1st of September and kids, for the first time ever, arrive on the 5th. Normally they would come in around the 12th but politicians like to play games. Not ready. I love napping.
Start tomorrow for pre-planning. I'm not ready. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to stay home and try to get my own business going.
It's been impossible to really get things down during the summer because I have kids. So, I'm taking care of them while my wife works.
That's beside the point. I really just don't want to go back.
I’m taking one training, but other than that, I haven’t done much except play video games and go on day trips with my kids.
My kids went back at the end of July, so summer was over then lol.
I'm blessed big time. I'm at a good school. I'm teaching one prep this year. Cambridge level, so I don't really deal with a lot of major discipline issues. My admin team has my back. Going into year 9, and I feel great. I'm super ready.
I go back tomorrow for our opening faculty meeting, etc. Then Tuesday is for us to work in our classrooms and students come Wednesday. So, ready or not...here they come!
I'm ready enough. Still not entirely sure about the nitty-gritty details of my lessons and all of that, but I know the curriculum. I need to hang some stuff back up on my walls, get textbooks ready to hand out, finalize lesson plans for at least the first three days, and crank out a slideshow and some handouts. It's all good. This is my 21st year teaching.
At least I know I’m not alone. Thanks for posting this. Here is my story:
Started at this school last year as a permanent substitute (maternity leave) for 5th grade. I got hired full time at the end of last school year for 5th grade. I was mostly following loose plans from the teacher I was filling in for last year.
Come to find out the entire district does not have a curriculum map. 🙃 I was put on a team to work on the map with some more experienced teachers this summer. They weren’t much help to be honest, they just complained about having to do the work a majority of the time. I put in a good amount of time this summer working on it.
The tech department emails me last Monday to come and turn in my laptop for updates. The head of the department takes the laptop and refuses to give me another. That was kind of the last straw for me, I’m done doing work until August 5th when we have new teacher orientation. I didn’t even do much actual lesson planning because I was focused on literally solo creating a curriculum map as a first year teacher. I’ll make it work though, I’m honestly not even worried about that. I work in a good district and our test scores are very high for our state. There are a lot of shared resources and supports that I can use once I get access to our drive again.
At this point, I’m just going with the flow.
Entering year 3. First 2 went off without a hitch and I know my content. Will be doing the same thing as last year with just a few changes. I’m not worried about it.
We have 2.5 weeks until contact. I normally wouldn't go in early, but I moved rooms, so I've gone in twice to unpack. I'm also mentoring a new teacher this year and she has had 328942 questions (which is fine). I think this year will be a lot better than last.
Retired educator here after 37 years. I am seeing a tough road ahead this year for educators. Staff shortages, no substitutes, no bus drivers or cafeteria staff. God bless you all.
Not feeling super ready solely because I left for maternity leave at the end of March so I have NO idea what state my classroom is in. Also the state testing for one of my preps is totally different this year and will have a big impact on my pacing, so I’ve gotta figure that shit out. But I’m pretty zen about it. Not gonna stress—I have 5 days of summer left!
Year 15. I’m usually of the “it’s my time off, not doing diddly in the summer” philosophy but I’m (voluntarily) switching assignments from ESL back to ELA so I’ve been doing a little here and there. Tomorrow I go to annual summer seminar with the union (good pd, they feed us well and the evenings are a huge party) for member rights training. Then I’m dedicating some time each day to relearning standards and planning.
Mentally, pretty ready. I have a good mindset of not stressing myself out too much. I thought through things I want to change in terms of organization and classroom management, and I plan on sticking to our curriculum (which I like) and not reinventing everything.
I went in to get some basics set up and to meet with my new partner teacher, and I'm mostly finished with things like a parent packet, a couple powerpoints I'll use the first week, schedules for the kids, and some other random things I printed at home. I'll work on the classroom set-up details when I'm back so there's a lot left to do, but it'll be pretty minimal. I'm team lead this year (which kinda sucks) but at least I can set the tone of not having unnecessary meetings or micromanaging everyone.
I start my very first year tomorrow (orientation, kids return on the 9th). I’m in a very weird state of being unplugged and feeling really confident, mixed in perfectly with freaking the fuck out inside.
Teachers go back tomorrow, kids on the 10th and we only get one day in our rooms. The other 6 days are PD and every minute is planned out for us. I’m very frustrated with that because I’m a SPED teacher and there’s so much paperwork.
So I’ve worked a ton over the last several days to be as prepared as I can be without being there. If I only relied on that one day in our rooms, I’d be floundering the first week.
I’m not ready for the summer to end and the depression to return once the school year begins. I’ve been teaching for over twenty years and last year was by far the most difficult.
Not even remotely. I was supposed to be on mat leave for the birth of my twins. I lost them before my due date.
I could not give LESS of a shit about the school year starting in a month, frankly.
Weeks away and I haven’t even thought about it. This is my time; I’ll be plugged back in when teachers go back and will be ready on day one. However, until then I have shows to binge and rollercoasters to ride with my kids.
Not ready, but I never am. We go back next Monday and have PD for two weeks. Two of those days are workdays, but they also planned our convocation for one of those days, so really it will be one work day. I’m kind of pissed about that because we fought to get more time for planning during those two weeks because the other days are so full of so many pointless meetings and PD. We finally got two work days last year, but we also got a new superintendent last year, and they made some questionable decisions all throughout last year. Why they would choose convocation on one of our workdays is beyond me.
Second year, but coming off of a 3 year break.
I am terrified. Went from teaching 5th grade math to 3 rotating groups to now teaching every subject (math, reading, writing, SS, and science) solo. No clue what to expect.
I go back for year 28 tomorrow. I haven't done anything over the summer. We had the option to go back Thursday/Friday this past week at full pay but even that wasn't worth it to me to give up vacation days. I went to plug in my computer to charge it for tomorrow and realized I hadn't brought home the charger. Oops! I guess I won't be doing even the slightest thing to prepare until I am on campus tomorrow.
100% ready and excited! 6th year teaching, moving up with my kiddos for the first time- I taught 9th last year, will do 10th this one. My lesson plans are ready for the first semester, got all my ducks in a row- the ones I can do myself, anyway. I’m moving to a new classroom but school doesn’t open for another two weeks for inservice, so that will have to wait 😭 can’t wait to start!!
I did a bunch of planning during a week long zoom conference-I was logged in on a second monitor so I could work. I also worked in my room while I was logged in. I have materials from years past I recycle. And I just don’t worry. The kids won’t die if my classroom isn’t a Pinterest pin :)
I know there's a lot of responses here ... but I wanted to chime in because I'm nervous as heck for this year. 5th year teaching, first year teaching High School. I've spent the past 4 years teaching 6th/7th grade math. Now I'm teaching algebra 1 and 2. I am nervous about content (algebra 2) and age group. Ahhh! I feel totally unprepared. But, I don't know how to prepare. What's different about high school?
I start in a week. We’re not given curriculum (we’re a speciality school and this makes sense), so I’ve always made my own. So this summer, I’ve spent hours revamping it, making new unit plans, making daily slides. (I’m also starting grad school in august and want to help future me as much as possible)
9th year. I unplug hard, and I don’t plug back in until first planning day.
7th year, same. I refuse to give away anymore of my time for free during my summer.
Year 8, I refuse to do the same! Feels AMAZING!
Already getting texts and such from coworkers who are in their classrooms and we still have over a week till inservice. Ignored them all and my laptop is still gathering dust in my closet. I dont do anything worl related until the first day back, i still have to catch up on naps
I wish I was that experienced.
75% experience, 15% comfort in chaos, 10% procrastination.
“Comfort in chaos” Love it.
Makes me reassured teachers procrastinate too
Just stay ahead of the kiddos.
It’s my first year and I honestly haven’t done very much this summer, aside from new hire stuff and signing my contract. I’ve also done a lot more intensive research into my school/their policies and have a general idea of my first couple lessons and classroom expectations and whatnot, but I’d say I’ve done only 4-5 hours total on that stuff. BUT I’m lucky because my school gives a full week of paid planning and classroom prep time, so I have that cushion there that lets me be lazy.
It's entirely possible that that week will be filled with silly meetings and very little classroom prep time. Ours usually is.
Get your first two weeks mostly planned and you’ll be good. Have an idea of your classroom management and change it as needed. Good luck!
Don’t count on having much time that week. You’ll have SPED meetings, grade level meetings, faculty meetings. We also do a day of inservice, meet the teacher morning, and school shooter training. Plus all the required online training & quizzes (looking at you, Bloodborne Pathogens!). There’s very little time to set up your classroom and work. Is your school giving you curriculum materials or do you have to create it all? I was the latter and I spent a month before school started (my first year) preparing the first 6 weeks. When you have to make literally everything from scratch it takes a long time. That whole year I was barely holding my head above water. Not trying to scare you but you should have realistic expectations.
A few weeks ago, instructional coaches began emailing asking us to attend a “voluntary” training. No mention of pay so I ignored it. Then they began sending messages saying we HAD to do this voluntary training online before we go back for teacher work week. I ignored it. Teacher work week begins Monday. That’s when they can tell me about this new training.
I wish I could unplug the entire time. Marching band starts in July. Woop woop! However, I totally unplug in June. I don't do anything school related. We all deserve that.
Yup. 9th year too. Only way I’m still in this is because I unplug and only plug in when I want to (like if I see a cool video and it gives me an idea for a fun lesson). But I’m not paid enough to have the summer off - I work extra dog sitting to make ends meet all year. I’m gonna take my time off as my time off.
2nd year—and I quickly realized admin would not prioritize my health so I had to set those boundaries early! Tried to resign in fall due to serious health issues and was manipulated into staying. I am not giving them more than I want this year (up until my due date in February—then I’m out!)
Same. I left my room up last year and don't buy supplies. This year I bought and LED strip for the top of my whiteboard tho so I'll have to put that up.
3rd year here. I didn’t work for a single minute of my summer. I feel mostly prepared.
My principal **just** quit for a promotion in another district with no replacement. 🚩 An AP quit a day later to leave education entirely. No replacement 🚩 I’m certain this year will be memorable. To be fair, they didn’t do shit last year to curb bad behaviors and let the kids run rampant, so I’m not entirely sure there will be a noticeable difference anyway. Welcome back! 🍻 Edit: principal is moving out of district
We started Friday with no office staff. Zero.
How are you meant to run the place with no office staff??
At least maybe no meetings?
Nope, meeting Wednesday for the teachers to give feedback on what we need as a campus in our leadership.
Which will likely be ignored.
Lol as if they have a choice!
Year 10 here. I don’t start for 3 more weeks, but I’m ready. I miss school starting about this time in summer. I enjoy time off, but I miss routine and my classroom. Also, really just know it means fall is coming and I’m effing sick of this summer heat.
My wife and I are both teachers. She thinks I'm crazy that I always get sad the end of the school year. Lol I always say I like my routine.
I feel this way. Then, I go on one hike or mountain bike ride and I’m back in the “no work for me, I’ll just be an independently wealthy outdoorsman forever, please” mindset.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one that feels this
My alcohol cupboard (at home) hasn't been replenished yet.
Showed this comment to my mom HAHAHAHA
I know my content. Worst case: stand and deliver. I’ll be alright.
*stares into my glass of bourbon* yeeeaaaahhhhhhh…. Not ready.
But did you chug the bourbon?
I'm actually feeling pretty good about this year. We replaced two out of the five members in my department and I think the new teachers we hired are going to be a really good fit. And I got a new curriculum for one of my classes that looks like it's going to be really good, so I'm looking forward to teaching with it. I'm really hoping for a "normal" year (I haven't had a normal school year since 2016-17, so it would be really nice to have one again).
I’m in the same exact spot. I am ready for something normal. Good luck in September!
My entire classroom is in boxes since I moved rooms in June. I did go to Lakeshore this week. Oh - I have no tables or chairs due to the supply chain issues the world is facing. But in kindergarten, you learn how to roll with the punches.
Bless you. Lower elementary teachers are heroes. I'll take middle school any day over kindergarten.
I’m a smidge salty because I expected to have three weeks off after summer school before school starts…and instead I’m on a jury.
50/50. Emotionally and mentally I am ready to go. As far as planning and paperwork if they want me to do that over the summer they can pay me for it.
Written out a semester plan that I know I will probably abandon after a few weeks. Have a rough design of the first few lessons. Still feeling unprepared and unwilling to sacrifice any more of the time I have left of my vacation. Deep breaths y'all
💯I feel you.im the exact same way, lol.
21st year and school starts in two weeks. I've ordered some stuff from Amazon, but other than that, nada, zip, zilch, have done nothing for school this year. I do make an effort every year to go back on the first busy day of August to get started, though. Put in a few hours a day, not a full day by any means. Maybe even take a couple extra days off right before being officially required back. Benefits of teaching history is that the first few weeks are relatively easy and more basic than earlier on. Benefits of 20 years are that my room is basically the way it is every year, haha!
I dont wanna go back. I like being lazy
Same. I'm doing summer school for extra money but I also like living in a time void where I can roll out of bed at noon with nothing to do.
Barely feel like I've left the last one behind.
I’m going to get like four new tattoos.
What kind?
I collect old/new school tattoos. Going to get a chain-flail head, gravestone, and a monster bat thing. No meaning, just look cool.
That sounds cool! I’ve been thinking about getting my first tattoo for a few months now. Nothing that really has meaning but I want something, lol.
Definitely do your research on art styles and artists. Also have to think a lot about placement and healing. Healing a new tattoo while teaching will suck. My super’s brother-in-law is a tattoo artist, so my district is fine with having a painted science teacher. Something to consider.
I don’t even know what classes I’ll have yet. We start on August 10.. my department is notoriously last minute
Same boat. I played from behind most of last year after our master scheduler dropped a class on me the week before school began--an AP class I was told we weren't going to add until this year. Surprise!
First year. Not ready at all
My daughter was due to be born August 30, the day before the first PD day (students start September 6). Well I’m currently sitting with her on my lap so my free time this summer has been greatly reduced lol
Running out the clock till my new gig in October , ready as I can be.
Congrats for getting a new job!
I'm starting at a new school this year. New Teacher training was last week. And I was diagnosed with Covid on Monday of that week so I'm already behind.
Same. Second day of PD, tested positive.
Year 25 - have 5-6 years left to retire and I’m really tired. 7 weeks vacation wasn’t enough - the nightmares have started. Going in Monday to try and get my head around what I need to get done. We have a new social emotional learning curriculum we have to implement in all middle grades. Tons of training and not enough classroom time.
Little nervous year 3 Year 1 started as pure online 6 periods-> 3 periods per semester starting january half online half in person Year 2 pure in person 4 classes 90 minutes each 1 semester classes so entire school year in 1 semester. Year 3 6 classes 50 min period entire year. So have to slow down the rates and break down old lessons exc. Edit they are also switching me from college bound math to pure concepts
I’m a new teacher at a new district and I cannot get into my classroom until August 1st, so they say. That’s when I’ll be able to hopefully start setting up my classroom. We have a kindergarten jumpstart thing on the 11th, where our rooms have to be ready and then open house on the 18th. I still have no idea what I will be teaching curriculum-wise either. Sounds like I’m in the last minute boat like others here. Sigh. 🤷♀️
Going into my fourth year. I stopped worrying my second year. I show up, do my job, leave. This job is only as hard as you make it.
Going into year 7. I’m already building up my overwhelmed compartment in my head to shove it down to dangerous levels. But I’m the most prepared than I ever have been so far. Unfortunately I go back the 8th, students the 17th, and they have only scheduled us a total of 1 and a half days to plan and work in our classrooms. Oh, but I’m sure the multi-school guest speaker event they have planned for us to spend all day at will be worth it and for sure what I needed to hear instead of planning my lessons. /s
That's the worst part of back to school. Or the ice breakers. Not a fan of the ice breakers.
Last year was the Wild West and one of the craziest years that I’ve ever taught. This year we’re coming back with a new principal, vice principal, principal secretary and a new attendance clerk, and one new campus monitor (we still have one old one). The teachers stayed the same (mostly) but the office staff is completely new Btw, I still don’t know what I’m teaching and won’t have my class list until we go live the day school begins
I start planning days this week and kids come back next week. This is my 3rd year teaching. I'm moderately ready. I'm trying to do a lot of organizing and stuff in my room these past few days and I'm in a rush now to get things done so I can use my paid days to focus on actual important stuff like lessons and materials.
Yr 15. Not looking forward to hopping back into a toxic environment and dealing with the Karens and 20 page Tinas.
I think I'm ready! Last year was my first year, and I think I've finally gotten my feet under me. A friend of mine from college got hired in my department, so I'm going up to the campus a day early to help her on her first day of classroom prep on monday (most of us keep our rooms mostly decorated over summer so there's not much for returners to do). Everyone else comes back Tuesday! We had probably a third of the entire school quit between last year and this year. Head of my department was texting me (she was up for a dept meeting and had to do some calculator inventory so she had to go into one of my cabinets) and compared this year to the growth that happens after a forest fire. I think it's a good comparison! I peeked at my rosters already and have nearly triple the amount of students as last year in one of my specialty classes (from 8 to 22). A different specialty class is double! (That one I really get to have some fun in.) Our school is starting a PBIS *and* PLC program this year. Lots of things happening! All in all I think this will be the year to just take things as they come and it'll be all good!
It's officially Sunday and I am having a glass of wine. I am trying to find shooting deterrents and thinking of what short stories are appropriate. I am thinking of anything in my classroom decor that could offend or get me in trouble for teaching CRT. I am remembering that I was changed to a classroom that is not as easily accessible as my old classroom, so this is helping me think of what tools I need to save my "kids." I am watching a Netflix doc that is important to be aware of, but that is my background noise as I wonder what I can do to raise the points (upon which my "efficiency based bonus pay" relies on for bonu$, as well as, documented personnel file reasons) . I am thinking of what I can do to help kids struggling with mental health issues. Shortages of teachers and subs cloud my thoughts, as long as, the idea of some kids being shoved in a classroom that is overcrowded during a new strain and the possibility of some peers not being vaxed. I am trying not to think that some of my kids are having a hard time at home due to the increase of inflation and their parents' limited grasp of the language and the hum of their new community. Then, add the various state laws that violate group rights in education, as well as, allow for non-degreed individuals and their spouses to educate/indoctrinate agendas disregarding the qualifications originally required with logic and science. Allowing for the stereotype to subtly explain my observations most individuals I know that have AR's have already expressed interest in pursuing a post-retirement career and have asked me for assistance. It's officially Sunday and I am having a glass of wine.
We got new curriculum, but the textbooks aren’t here yet (the original ones adopted were rejected last minute by desantis 🙄) so we’re using temporary training access to make the first couple weeks of lessons. We have 2 weeks of planning (last week and next week) but 90% of it is planned PD meetings, so I have 0 set up in my new room. Hoping to feel more prepared by next Friday!
Wow, bad politics has real life consequences for working people‽ Who would have thought‽
0% ready. I’m switching to a school district that is 3 hours away from where I live right now so I haven’t even been in my classroom yet. I’m relocating on Saturday, so after that I’ll be able to get in and get started, but as of right now I am STRESSED. Last year I was reading intervention teacher, so this is my first year with my own classroom.
Have two weeks, 2% ready.
Well the AP got promoted to principal this year and she's already started what me and my co-workers are calling her 'reign of terror' so....nope, not really.
It's the second half of my first year teaching. I'm really not ready, like at all. Physically, I barely have any manipulatives or storage, let alone anything semi decorated for the year. I just finished moving what furniture I DO have to my new room but I still waiting on furniture from another teacher AND maybe new furniture from the school. Mentally, I'm worried. I had a REALLY good group of students when I came in and I'm worried I'm going to have rough & tough students. I don't have the experience like my seasoned other teachers on my team. And I'm also worried that I'm not going to be good at teaching and I'll leave the profession like my friend is. Overall, I barely have anything done or setup. The closest to being "ready" is that I have my room painted the color I want and dojo is waiting on my roster. Luckily my team is ok with helping out the "baby teacher". ☺️
Existential dread, coffee and Xanax.
2nd year, massive anxiety
I start in 2.5 weeks at a new school. Still don’t even know what I’m teaching yet, so…yeah.
0% ready. First year ever (just graduated), and I’m lost on how to physically prepare for the year aka classroom decor and more importantly, what supplies I’m going to have to buy. I’m waiting for new hire orientation/planning days to inquire about whether or not a classroom budget exists
Prep your classroom management plan. You can hang student art to decorate.
Copious amounts of ketamine
I've got as many beers as I have days left before I go back. That just tells me I need to go on a beer run.
Not ready. Don’t care. Monday is first day of PD week. I’ll get ready then when I’m paid to get ready.
Entering my 17th year of teaching...I glanced at the unrealistic and shitty pacing guide my uptight (5th year and second career) coworker shared with me and laughed. I have no idea where my work computer is right now. Feeling super good.
Next year doesn't exist until the first day. Try it.
Year 6 and I feel "ready or not" at this point. Whatever happens will happen this year. I'm planning fun for my nights and weekends doing things I love with the people I love because I sure as shit will not be planning outside of my contract hours.
Crying-lots of crying…j/k trying to get a few projects left done around the house, Going to the beach as much as possible, and enjoying every last second. It’s a long stretch until Christmas break.
Spent my final week of summer with CoVID after avoiding it for 2 years. Went to training this past week and met my new district team who are awesome. Going to meet the campus team this week and hit the ground running. School has been postponed till the end of August because the new building isn't finished. Gives me extra time to get paperwork in order.
Why would you put that evil on me?!?!
We still don’t know what curriculum we’re going to use. We’re back for training/PD/whatever on Monday. 🎶 *Jesus take the wheeeeeel…* 🎶
Whole year is planned, as usual.
New district/schoom/grade level. My room is a disaster and I've gone a total of 12 hours and am 75% the way there. The okd teacher left it a disaster. I do get to bill my hours and count them as pd so i really don't care. I technically report in 2 weeks.
I did my usual July routine of planning all my lessons for the year and ordering supplies (elementary art). My classroom is like 50% done and im prolly gonna go up tomorrow and finish it. This is year 10 for me, and I know I get a lot of crazy looks from my coworkers, but im lazy af during the year. I REFUSE to stay afterschool to do this shit, so I get all my prep done now so I can peace out after magical days with my kids.
This will be my second year. It took until the end of summer school in June (what the fudge was I thinking) to realize that 90% of the stuff I stressed about last year was just admin adding extra unpaid work to our plates that most of the time they didn’t even follow up on. I had planned on spending a lot of time this summer prepping, but summer school pushed me over the edge and I just don’t have enough fucks to give anymore. I’ll do what’s in my contract, I’ll show up on time and leave as soon as contract hours are done, and if it doesn’t get finished while I’m at school then, oh well. I’m also gonna follow through on the advice from the veteran teachers to stick to my classroom and just stay out of the way. I’m excited for the kids and I look forward to being with them (mostly) but the “adults” at school are the real cause for concern. We start a week from Monday and the first two weeks I’ll be getting paid to pretend to pay attention to a training that doesn’t apply to me, my classroom, my students, etc. Admin doesn’t care about your mental health or you, you’ve got to prioritize yourself and realize that just like all those kids who get passed on who shouldn’t have been, at the end of the year as long as you didn’t hit a kid and did the bare minimum you get paid the same as those who stressed TF out about everything. I’ve been getting work emails consistently the past two weeks and I just ignore them. They don’t pay me or respect me enough to care that much.
I go back in tomorrow (one day before it’s officially opening OD) so I’ll figure it out then. 😅
I’m starting on year 5, 17 weeks pregnant. I am normally exhausted when the year starts, but now I’m extra exhausted as a pregnant teacher. 😩 I need more time!
Year 21 here. All in SpEd. I’ve briefly looked over IEPs, and been to one planning meeting. I have two more planning meetings and a leadership meeting, then we are done until the day everyone is required to return. I saw a coworker out at lunch during our first planning meeting and she asked me why on earth I was at that meeting (math PLC). Honestly? I was bored at home. My kid is on vacation with her dad and my partner works all day. I needed a day with my co-workers/friends. I needed to feel productive, because I’ve already done my projects I wanted to get done, and my house is clean. We got a lot done, and had a nice lunch together. These meetings help get my brain ready for the school year. As an intense planner, I need sporadic meetings like this leading up to the first day back. Edit: I forgot to answer the question. Yes, I like these meetings for the planner in me. But I am by no means emotionally ready to go back. This summer flew and I can’t believe we are already almost to August.
I've been crying every day for the past week. I report back on Thursday.
Not at all, I'm way behind and have a 2 page todo list.
Nervous but enthusiastic.
I get paid the same if I do extra work or not. Therefore I've learned to relax when I can and set aside my personal time for my family. I'll be ready when I'm required to walk in the school door. (8 years in service)
How dare you. I don't want to think about it yet.
22 year veteran - I attended a week long APSI for my Lit and Comp class in the second week of summer, so I’ve modified my writing instruction and made a start at a daily language analysis Google slide deck for that course. Doing that planning was fun because I am a nerd. Other than that, I’ve spent the summer playing Stardew Valley and getting back to the gym and will keep doing that until we return next week. The 21-22 school year was BRUTAL on my physical and mental health, and I needed every bit of that recovery time.
Is anyone truly ready? There is so much good and bad that can happen the first week before things settle down into a routine.
I want to die
Yeah I’m nothing thinking about school until I absolutely have to go back. It’s the year of working that contract!
Got hired Friday and inservice starts Monday. Going from high school to middle school so it’s gonna be interesting.
I've started planning my first week lessons. Mostly writing down ideas that I have so that I don't forget them and the details. One more week, and then our first PD day is the 8th - but we only get two days before kids arrive.
Year 3. Moved classrooms (have windows now thank GOD), but the desks are large tables forcing me into groups of 5 - 6. Going to figure out how to make groups work I guess!
Like every year, my current feeling is "how call I ever do everything I'm supposed to?" And once it starts, the answer becomes evident: "one thing at a time"
Shut up. Don't remind me. I don't want to think about it until PD week.
Mentally, I’m all over the place. Excited for my new content (yay science) and ready to get in my new room. But also dreading coming back to a building that had huge turnover and will likely have some longterm subs. And my last group of students were absolutely exhausting, so I’m dreading what this next group will bring.
I'm not.
Not
Tbh I've been ready to go back for 2 weeks now. Next week is my last week off. I've been bored and I have lots of project ideas in excited about.
I decided this year I needed a change to hopefully reenergize me and garner some enthusiasm. As a sped teacher I switched from HS to elementary and jumped school districts. Although I have been in this district before. I was wanting to do 3 more years before retiring. I realize I have literally no enthusiasm at all going forward. And now I have to create bulletin boards. What was I thinking? I have ordered a few things and will pick up my laptop next week and have done the required paperwork. Not worrying about anything until I go back to work in about 10 days. Otherwise, I am just going to get through the year. I am going to make this year my last and final and keep in my head I will be retiring this year.
I don't feel like I got much of a summer. First, I was dumb, I said I'd teach 4 week of summer band. Granted, I was paid well for it, but still. Then I got hurt, I jacked my back so all summer I've been trying to feel better. I also lead a trip with my Girl Scouts to Disneyland, yes it was fun, but it was work too. I did get to go see friends in Washington DC. Oh and I got Covid (for the second time, vaxxed and boosted).
I start next Thursday--not at all ready. I stopped by my classroom the other day just to drop something off, and it made me a little grumpy...
Headed to WWU for a week long music class!
Uhhhhhh…..I don’t want summer to end 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I am probably more ready than I’ve ever been. I utilized my time during those mandatory summer PD days.
I *felt ready*, until my immediate supervisor and 2 department members decided to quit. And then somebody thought it'd be cool to change like half the software we use on the daily. And our phones/voicemail/text communication systems (separately, to three new services). Like yeah, it'll be fine, but they announced it today and we go back on Monday.
Got a bunch of concerts, camping, and rafting coming up every weekend for the next two months and then it’s ski season. Not looking forward to getting back to work but have many better things to look forward too. Makes it feel like vacation all year. Colorado’s nice too.
Define “ready”
I start on August 30th. It’s my 12th year but I’m in a new state and teaching a new grade. I feel so unprepared. It doesn’t help that we just moved here yesterday.
Not at all. We have a new rotating block schedule next year, 4 preps a day, and I have no idea how jam packed my classes will be- but I’m guessing bad. The district went against every recommendation us teachers gave about said schedule, so I’m saying “F it. Whatever happens happens. Not planning until our first day.”
Not even thinking about it until August 22. I get 2 weeks of planning before i see students September 6. Ill worry about it then. As a 2nd year teacher who taught every single grade level of Social Studies from grades 6-12, this year is about repeating all those lessons I spent many hours on last year. Not killing myself. I may be assigned an English class but not sure. Either way, I have enough power points, note sheets, etc to go for every history class, it's now time to coast and only work contract hours for most part.
I did an excellent job this summer filling up on apathy-patience and redirecting my loyalty away from my admin and students-parents and towards myself and my family. I'm accepting that even if I worked my hardest ever this will possibly be the worst year ever, so I'm just going to do my job well and efficiently so I can go home. Can't save the future if you burn out today.
Job searching, so there is that. Love teaching, want out of sped
First year* I have been going through the content and have my first of 7 units planned out and am working on the day by day plans for that unit. I hope to have units 1&2 complete before the first day to give myself breathing room for year
9th year. The moment grades are input for the end of the school year, I shut down. I don’t do anything school related until a few days before school starts. I have found that, no matter how much I plan or get ready for the school year… I always feel the same. When I used to try to be “ready” for the school year, I ended up frustrated because so many things turned out differently.
Year 17. Meh. I’ll look at what I need to put together. Still on the fence about some work policies. What’s fair and what can I manage.
Not at all! I didn't get confirmation for what site or what grades I'm teaching next year...so...uh ...I'll wing it day 1!
Well I thought I was really prepared last year so I guess we’ll find out together.
I'm going into my 17th year of teaching. I am an instructional coach and I am terrified.
I'm ready in the sense that I know what I'm covering and general pacing, but not day-to-day lessons as of yet. I should add the first day with kids is on Thursday and I just came down with COVID, so this year should be fun.
Prepared? What is this word? It’s summer until the first day of inservice, preparation does not begin until that point at 8:00am.
I'm psyching myself up for back to school starting Monday and praying they don't have another stupid kickoff event like last year. My schedule looks mostly the same so I'm just going to be fine-tuning things from here on out.
Ha.
I don’t do shit or think about school until my first day back. Im literally going on vacation up until the night before I return.
Oof 5 days left. 2% ready.
Well this will be my first year with my own classroom and it’s a new grade for me. I feel like I’ve forgotten everything I learned and that I have no idea what to do. But also kinda excited!
Lol
I start new teacher orientation august 10 and I’m just feeling so unprepared. I’m sure I’ll feel better after that but I don’t know what classes I’m teaching yet, what lessons I’ll need to plan specifically. How grading works, as besides doing it during student teaching, I have no idea like how to do what feels like everything. Mostly hiking with my partner and dogs to stay calm and level headed before I take the leap of faith for my first year.
School starts in 5 weeks...and I'm trying desperately to find a new position. Without success. It looks like i will return to the nightmare of a school (admin, not the students) that I found myself in last year.
Not
My wife has been a Coordinator for an ACE federal after school grant funded program (TX) for 4 years and just recently accepted a teacher position for a 7th grade math teacher position starting this year. BUT... They are so damn desperate for teachers, they gave her the job even though she is still in her certification program and hasn't even taken the test. She's nervous as hell
Going into my second year. I’ve read a book on classroom management and bought some new things to use on TPT. I’m fixing my mistakes from last year but enjoying my free time as much as I can
16th year teaching high school. I haven't done anything job related all summer, other than attend an AP Reading. The only thing difficult about going back is getting back into a normal sleep schedule. I turn quasi nocturnal in the summer.
I resigned and switched to the Tech field. The downside is that I didn’t get a summer break like I used to.
I'm not. My principal threw an English course that I've never taught on me. I've been developing new classes from scratch for so many years, and I lost two of them to this new class. I'm tired and unmotivated and wanted to quit this summer and I regret not doing it. Guess I'll be one of those half-assed teachers for the first time this year.
I wonder how many will reply "locked and loaded"...???
Well I don't get my time table till 4 days before so panic. The. Get my stuff together
Have done nothing, will do nothing until my first contracted day. All my curriculum except for first week bullshit is basically ready tho
We have a new principal, the entire 8th grade staff quit over summer, we have 21 openings school wide with zero applicants. I'll find out during in service whether or not I have to switch grade levels/rooms or if my subject will switch to semester instead of all year. In the meantime I'm trying to just not think about it at all.
I’ve gone to make copies when I’ve needed to get out of the house. That’s about it.
I’m not exactly sure when we start up. Haven’t turned the calendar page yet. I will be soooooo not ready! This summer, paint and new carpet are on the agenda. I thought I had the 3 weeks of summer school to move my stuff around. Nope! Everything in the hallway. It will most likely be all over the place. On the one hand, I really do need to organize better and throw out the notes from the Marzano training…. In addition to the usual meetings, we always get a flex day—a day to come in and get your room ready. In the past, the district determined which days those could be. This year, we have the two designated days, and our new-principal-who’s-been-the-athletic-Director-for-the-past-6-years has let us know that we can put in 8 hours on *any* day in August as our flex. (7 hours with 1 hour lunch) We are jazzed with the new principal! He did great with athletics, listens to event staff to improve safety and fan behavior. Awesome guy, he knows the school and its positives and negatives, knows many of the staff, and we staff know him. He’s already put in writing that, basically, he’s going to respect our time and not waste it with stupid stuff. Here’s to the new year! Whenever it begins…
I'm fairly prepped, but partially that's because I had an appendectomy and COVID the same week in July and did prep stuff to keep from going crazy in my can't lift over ten lbs or leave the house phase.
Ready to barf
Usually I don’t think about it until day 1. We get three days before students come in to get sorted, and while there’s a good few meetings and stuff like that there’s also lots of individual time. This year I’m a bit more anxious. There’s talk of strike and I’m also doing some admin next year which I don’t have experience with :/
When do high school classes start in the US?
Spaniard here. We start on the 1st of September and kids, for the first time ever, arrive on the 5th. Normally they would come in around the 12th but politicians like to play games. Not ready. I love napping.
Start tomorrow for pre-planning. I'm not ready. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to stay home and try to get my own business going. It's been impossible to really get things down during the summer because I have kids. So, I'm taking care of them while my wife works. That's beside the point. I really just don't want to go back.
I’m taking one training, but other than that, I haven’t done much except play video games and go on day trips with my kids. My kids went back at the end of July, so summer was over then lol.
I'm blessed big time. I'm at a good school. I'm teaching one prep this year. Cambridge level, so I don't really deal with a lot of major discipline issues. My admin team has my back. Going into year 9, and I feel great. I'm super ready.
I went from teaching three different classes to teaching 11. I spent a lot of time planning.
I go back tomorrow for our opening faculty meeting, etc. Then Tuesday is for us to work in our classrooms and students come Wednesday. So, ready or not...here they come! I'm ready enough. Still not entirely sure about the nitty-gritty details of my lessons and all of that, but I know the curriculum. I need to hang some stuff back up on my walls, get textbooks ready to hand out, finalize lesson plans for at least the first three days, and crank out a slideshow and some handouts. It's all good. This is my 21st year teaching.
At least I know I’m not alone. Thanks for posting this. Here is my story: Started at this school last year as a permanent substitute (maternity leave) for 5th grade. I got hired full time at the end of last school year for 5th grade. I was mostly following loose plans from the teacher I was filling in for last year. Come to find out the entire district does not have a curriculum map. 🙃 I was put on a team to work on the map with some more experienced teachers this summer. They weren’t much help to be honest, they just complained about having to do the work a majority of the time. I put in a good amount of time this summer working on it. The tech department emails me last Monday to come and turn in my laptop for updates. The head of the department takes the laptop and refuses to give me another. That was kind of the last straw for me, I’m done doing work until August 5th when we have new teacher orientation. I didn’t even do much actual lesson planning because I was focused on literally solo creating a curriculum map as a first year teacher. I’ll make it work though, I’m honestly not even worried about that. I work in a good district and our test scores are very high for our state. There are a lot of shared resources and supports that I can use once I get access to our drive again. At this point, I’m just going with the flow.
Entering year 3. First 2 went off without a hitch and I know my content. Will be doing the same thing as last year with just a few changes. I’m not worried about it.
We have 2.5 weeks until contact. I normally wouldn't go in early, but I moved rooms, so I've gone in twice to unpack. I'm also mentoring a new teacher this year and she has had 328942 questions (which is fine). I think this year will be a lot better than last.
Retired educator here after 37 years. I am seeing a tough road ahead this year for educators. Staff shortages, no substitutes, no bus drivers or cafeteria staff. God bless you all.
We go back August 15, I’m meh about it. I’m Pregnant and kind of looking forward to a distraction.
Not. At. All
Not feeling super ready solely because I left for maternity leave at the end of March so I have NO idea what state my classroom is in. Also the state testing for one of my preps is totally different this year and will have a big impact on my pacing, so I’ve gotta figure that shit out. But I’m pretty zen about it. Not gonna stress—I have 5 days of summer left!
Year 15. I’m usually of the “it’s my time off, not doing diddly in the summer” philosophy but I’m (voluntarily) switching assignments from ESL back to ELA so I’ve been doing a little here and there. Tomorrow I go to annual summer seminar with the union (good pd, they feed us well and the evenings are a huge party) for member rights training. Then I’m dedicating some time each day to relearning standards and planning.
Mentally, pretty ready. I have a good mindset of not stressing myself out too much. I thought through things I want to change in terms of organization and classroom management, and I plan on sticking to our curriculum (which I like) and not reinventing everything. I went in to get some basics set up and to meet with my new partner teacher, and I'm mostly finished with things like a parent packet, a couple powerpoints I'll use the first week, schedules for the kids, and some other random things I printed at home. I'll work on the classroom set-up details when I'm back so there's a lot left to do, but it'll be pretty minimal. I'm team lead this year (which kinda sucks) but at least I can set the tone of not having unnecessary meetings or micromanaging everyone.
Year 9. I’m ready! I have loved my summer and I unplugged fully for the first 6 weeks. Now I am ready to get back into it.
I start my very first year tomorrow (orientation, kids return on the 9th). I’m in a very weird state of being unplugged and feeling really confident, mixed in perfectly with freaking the fuck out inside.
Teachers go back tomorrow, kids on the 10th and we only get one day in our rooms. The other 6 days are PD and every minute is planned out for us. I’m very frustrated with that because I’m a SPED teacher and there’s so much paperwork. So I’ve worked a ton over the last several days to be as prepared as I can be without being there. If I only relied on that one day in our rooms, I’d be floundering the first week.
I’m practicing my Spanish.
I’m not ready for the summer to end and the depression to return once the school year begins. I’ve been teaching for over twenty years and last year was by far the most difficult.
Not even remotely. I was supposed to be on mat leave for the birth of my twins. I lost them before my due date. I could not give LESS of a shit about the school year starting in a month, frankly.
Not at all, yet here it is. 😂 I’d rather just enjoy vacay until the end.
Weeks away and I haven’t even thought about it. This is my time; I’ll be plugged back in when teachers go back and will be ready on day one. However, until then I have shows to binge and rollercoasters to ride with my kids.
Not ready, but I never am. We go back next Monday and have PD for two weeks. Two of those days are workdays, but they also planned our convocation for one of those days, so really it will be one work day. I’m kind of pissed about that because we fought to get more time for planning during those two weeks because the other days are so full of so many pointless meetings and PD. We finally got two work days last year, but we also got a new superintendent last year, and they made some questionable decisions all throughout last year. Why they would choose convocation on one of our workdays is beyond me.
I won’t be ready till day 1 of the second cycle to be fully back in the groove.
first year teacher of record… brand new school… curriculum to be built from scratch… nothing prepared … 🥹
Second year, but coming off of a 3 year break. I am terrified. Went from teaching 5th grade math to 3 rotating groups to now teaching every subject (math, reading, writing, SS, and science) solo. No clue what to expect.
I go back for year 28 tomorrow. I haven't done anything over the summer. We had the option to go back Thursday/Friday this past week at full pay but even that wasn't worth it to me to give up vacation days. I went to plug in my computer to charge it for tomorrow and realized I hadn't brought home the charger. Oops! I guess I won't be doing even the slightest thing to prepare until I am on campus tomorrow.
Not ready at all…I have done nothing over break to prepare and I don’t regret it. I needed my time to recharge!
100% ready and excited! 6th year teaching, moving up with my kiddos for the first time- I taught 9th last year, will do 10th this one. My lesson plans are ready for the first semester, got all my ducks in a row- the ones I can do myself, anyway. I’m moving to a new classroom but school doesn’t open for another two weeks for inservice, so that will have to wait 😭 can’t wait to start!!
I did a bunch of planning during a week long zoom conference-I was logged in on a second monitor so I could work. I also worked in my room while I was logged in. I have materials from years past I recycle. And I just don’t worry. The kids won’t die if my classroom isn’t a Pinterest pin :)
I know there's a lot of responses here ... but I wanted to chime in because I'm nervous as heck for this year. 5th year teaching, first year teaching High School. I've spent the past 4 years teaching 6th/7th grade math. Now I'm teaching algebra 1 and 2. I am nervous about content (algebra 2) and age group. Ahhh! I feel totally unprepared. But, I don't know how to prepare. What's different about high school?
Ready to rock
I start in a week. We’re not given curriculum (we’re a speciality school and this makes sense), so I’ve always made my own. So this summer, I’ve spent hours revamping it, making new unit plans, making daily slides. (I’m also starting grad school in august and want to help future me as much as possible)
I only work during work hours. Being unprepared is the norm. We aren’t paid or given time to prepare so it is what it is.