The idea of school looks different to everyone. Some children enter the double school gates every morning and take the bus, whereas others start their day of learning from the comfort of their own home. Although there are stark differences between the traditional education system and homeschooling, both of these learning environments have one thing in common. You’ll always take a break and you’ll always need to get back into it somehow and someway. Getting back into the swing of school can be tough for a child who’s just enjoyed a long summer break with their friends and family. The idea of knuckling down and learning can feel overwhelming to say the least, but there are so many ways in which you can make the process smooth, steady and welcoming. Whether you’re guiding your child through home education, or you’re a teacher of a small class hoping to welcome them back after summer break, there are numerous methods that will help you to make the process easier on everybody.
Welcoming children back to school in a warm and comforting way is the least you can do when they’re about to dedicate a lot of time to studying and learning. Making each day fun and ensuring that the first week is as seamless as possible can be done, as long as you do a little bit of preparation in advance. Some of the following ideas will give you some guidance and inspiration when it comes to bringing your students or children back into an educational setting after a short or long break.
Ice Breaker Games
One of the best ways to kickstart a brand new day of school is with some unique ice breaker games. Now, these aren’t the cliche ones you often see in the movies; they’re exciting, fun and will lead to a lot of learning along the way too. Check out these forensic science icebreakers first day school, and you will soon see how effective they can be when welcoming a class back to school again. The light hearted nature of the games ensures that nobody feels any pressure, and it also encourages the children to get talking to each other too.
Create Lesson Plans
Lesson plans are so important when it comes to getting back into the swing of school routines. Making each lesson clear and concise will help the children to settle back in with ease and give them the best possible start to the school year. Although you may have to be flexible and adaptable to their needs, you can enhance their learning environment when you feel organized and well-prepared when you walk into the classroom each day.
Speak With Them and Their Parents
Taking some time out to speak with each child and their parents if you’re a traditional teacher in a school or education system, will help you to settle them back into school life with ease. A simple conversation before the day begins will give you an idea of what each child needs from you at any given time. It can also provide you with some much-needed background knowledge on their emotional or intellectual needs along the way too. All in all, as long as you’re willing to spend a little bit of time with each child or parent, you will feel well-equipped to deal with anything that might come your way as school starts back up again.
Get the Classroom Set Up
Having an organized, well-designed and beautiful classroom is something that every teacher or home educator longs to have. Spending some time just before school starts getting everything in order will set you off on the best possible foot, and it will help your students to feel incredibly welcome from the moment they walk through the door. Although time and resources are often limited with regards to classroom supplies, there’s so much you can do to ensure you feel ready to welcome your students into their learning environment. This could mean displaying some beautiful artwork from a previous year, or setting up a topical display that may spark some conversations as they start delving in on day one. Preparation is key, and having a welcoming classroom is the key to gaining their attention and keeping them on the right track as they settle back into daily school life.
Set Clear Goals
At the very start of the year or semester, you need to set clear goals that are understandable to your age group. This could mean telling them advance what they’re going to be learning about and how they’re going to achieve each objective as you learn together. By setting clear goals from the outset, your class or children will have a set of expectations that will guide them seamlessly through their educational life. These goals will act as pillars of support when they need a little extra guidance or help with a certain topic. These goals aren’t intended to scare the children, or make them worry about what’s expected of them, but it’s to help them push through any reservations they have so that they can be the very best version of themselves whilst they’re learning.
Make the Rules and Boundaries Known
As well as setting goals for your students, you also need to make sure that rules and boundaries are clear at all times. In order to make the learning space as safe and welcoming as possible, everyone needs to have respect for the rules that are in place.
Avoid Intense Learning Environments Right Away
Diving straight back into complicated learning material on day one simply isn’t the way school should be. Children need time to get to know their surroundings and re-adapt to their environment before they’re expected to retain any type of information. When you opt to avoid intense learning environments during the welcome phase you are giving your children the freedom to settle in at their own speed. It means that everyone sitting in that room is on a level playing field, and everyone will have their opportunity to grow and develop as the weeks go by.
Adapt To The Needs of the Class
As a teacher, you will already be aware that there are so many different types of children in your class, and all of them will respond to certain activities in unique ways. Some children may thrive with ice breaker games, and others may feel slightly shy. Adapting to the needs of your class will make everyone feel as comfortable as possible when they’re returning to school. Although you may not be able to completely change your lesson plans and activities, you can make developments and adaptations accordingly.
Prepare School Routines Ahead of Time
This is a particularly important one to consider if you’re a homeschooling parent or a parent who is due to send their child back into a learning environment. Around a week before they’re due to start school, you need to get them prepared with their routines ahead of time. This means getting back on track with their sleep schedules and wake up times. You will find the process so much easier as soon as your little one’s back into a healthy school routine before their first day back.
Listen and Be Patient
Patience is the ultimate trait you have to have as a teacher or mom who teaches their children at home. They will test your limits on a day to day basis and you will have to have an abundance of solutions at your fingertips. It’s true that educators have to be active listeners because there is so much to take in around you. Listening to the children will also help you to adapt your methods accordingly and ensure you’re doing the right thing for each individual. By putting these skills of yours to use, you can be sure that you’re doing everything in your power to make your class feel welcome in every sense.
As you can see, there are so many different options for you to explore when it comes to making your children and students feel as comfortable as possible when they start their day of learning each day. Every child is unique, and will have their very own ways of warming up to school life again, so it’s important to be flexible and patient with your methods. The ideas mentioned above will help you to discover a variety of options for you to explore for your students. As a teacher, you will be exposed to many different scenarios in your lifetime, but some of the best moments are when you see that your hard work and dedication is coming to fruition in your pupils.
Most of all, enjoy the process of organizing your back to school ideas, and take comfort in knowing that all of your time and dedication will be much appreciated by the little minds on the receiving end of it all. From engaging games to open conversations, there’s so much for you to delve into to ensure that your children have warm and welcoming return back to school.