School Year in Preview 2022

Back in January, we gave you some ideas and tips on how to make 2022 great. While we still stand by those, we think it’s a great idea to use specifically for the school year as well. Here are some tips to get yourself ready for the year:  

• Set goals for yourself, both professionally and personally
  • No matter what year this makes for your teaching career, there should be something you’d like to accomplish that would move you forward professionally. This could be working on a new degree, leading a professional development session, coaching a team, or even something smaller like reading a new book about teaching.  
  • Be careful that the professional goal does not encroach on your personal life. Setting work life boundaries will shield you from burn out. That could be your personal goal: protect your time outside of work. Maybe not, but you should also have something you’d like to work on this year that isn’t work-related. Try out a new kind of yoga or fitness class. Make more time for your favorite hobby. Start saving money for your spring break trip. Whatever it is, stick to it. Write it in your planner.  
• Don’t forget to breathe  
  • As you’re setting up your classroom and getting plans and resources together, take a moment to stop and breathe. Look around and see what you’ve accomplished. Appreciate your progress. Acknowledge your to-do list, but don’t let it overwhelm you.   
• Give room and grace for mistakes  
  • Mistakes will happen. For you and your students. But allowing time and room to reflect on them, and giving grace when they happen, will foster a safe environment for growth.  
• Practice self-care 
  • If you’re not taking care of you, you’ll have nothing left to care for your students. This is where work life boundaries come into play: leave work at work. Let your afternoons be for you and the things you love. Whether that’s your family, pets, or hobbies, spend your time doing what energizes you.  
• Inspire and be inspired  
  • It’s easy to get stuck in a rhythm. Create opportunities to be creative at home and in the classroom. Try something experimental on for size: new music, movies, crafts, you name it. You might just find something that inspires you! 
• Make your workdays productive 
  • Set yourself up for success this year, including those early workdays! Here are some ideas to help keep you on track and productive. Link productivity blog  

  Learn more about how MI Write can help you stay organized and on top of standards this year!