Some suggestions

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Some suggestions
By Cheryl

I was in a situation similar to yours several years ago when our school was being renovated. We were moved into our “new” classrooms 2-3 days before school began, when normally I would have started preparing my room 3-4
weeks earlier. I did have the advantage of having all my old supplies with me in my temporary classroom and my “new” classroom had the same layout as the classroom I was in before the move. I prepared by making a map of the classroom, including where I wanted my furniture and what I would store on each shelf and in each cupboard. I also made a list of what display I would put on each

bulletin board for each month of the school year based on seasons, holidays, and topics I expected to be teaching each month. When we finally were allowed into our classrooms it was easy to get everything put away quickly and get my bulletin boards up. After the first month or two I didn’t really follow my bulletin board plan, but I felt more confident knowing I had a plan. Although your situation is a little different, I hope these ideas help.

Another thing you can do is decide on your rules and routines for your class. What do you expect students to do during morning homeroom? Will they have free time or will they have something to work on? How will you collect homework? Where will they keep backpacks and lunchboxes? If you are in a self-contained classroom you will probably have to plan your daily schedule. When will you teach each subject? Will you schedule bathroom breaks or will you allow students to use the bathroom during class? Thinking through all the little things will help your days go smoother. The office may have your lunch and special class schedule and may even be able to give you your manuals so you can begin some lesson plans or map out your year. The more you have planned in advance, the more relaxed and confident you will be when your students come in the door on that first day. Good luck!