April 27, 2024
It’s that time of the school year to pack up your classroom and head into all the relaxation that summer break has to offer. While it may be tempting to shove everything in a closet and forget about school, packing up your classroom with a plan in mind will help make for a successful return in the fall. Keep reading for 15 tips that will help make packing up your classroom a breeze and for ideas on how your students can help.
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This activity goes well with these Simply Kinder resources:
1. Purge Items
Take time at the end of the year to create 3 piles – trash, sell, donate. Unloading materials and supplies that you don’t need will help set you up for success at the beginning of the next school year. It makes room for all the new magic you will create with your students. Tip: Your students will love taking home old items you no longer need.
2. Include your Students
Speaking of students, they love helping around the classroom. Here are some ideas on how your students can help with packing up your classroom:
3. Organize Cabinets & Drawers
After decluttering, organize your cabinets and drawers. This will give you an idea of what you will need for the new school year and free up space to pack up your classroom.
4. Create a Classroom Diagram
Sketch a diagram of what your classroom layout will look like for the new year. This helps organize your thoughts on changes you will make and how to best implement them with your classroom space.
5. Label Items
Label your classroom materials and furniture that may be moved around over the summer to ensure it all gets back to your classroom. In addition, label boxes of items that you remove from shelves to help you remember where to return them as you unpack.
6. Organize you Classroom Library
This is another job that is great for your students to help complete. First, go through and pull books that need repairs or can be donated. Next, determine how your books will be stored over summer break. Utilizing student cubbies is an option to keep sets of books together and paint stirrers make great dividers.
7. Refresh Items
Repair or replace items that need some attention. Replace posters or displays that you are keeping, but need to be refreshed. This frees up time at the beginning of the next year to focus on the new ideas you will implement.
8. Prep Materials
If you already have ideas on things you are going to change or implement in the new school year, go ahead and prep those materials. Makes copies, print new labels, and laminate items that you will need.
9. Prepare for Meet the Teacher
Print your parent information packets, forms and other documents you use when meeting your new students. Choose an idea for a gift that you will give to your new students so you can prep them over summer break.
10. Welcome Display
Have your students create a wall display that will welcome your new students and their families at the beginning of the school year. Students can write about a favorite memory to excite new students about their new classroom.
11. Create an Idea List
Write down any ideas you’ve saved or have been wanting to try in your classroom. It’s easy to forget ideas that caught your eye or that a colleague shared so put them on paper.
12. Create a To-Do and To-Buy List
Make a to-do list of the yearly tasks you complete at the beginning of a new school year as it can be easy to overlook the simple things when you are preparing for new ideas. Writing down a to-buy list is also essential so you can prioritize where funds are spent.
13. Create a Wish List
Create your Amazon wish list for the new year. You can add items as you think of them over summer break.
14. Lazy Day Items
Consider taking home a bin of items that you can cut out, staple, or edit over summer break. These tasks are easy to accomplish on a lazy day and removes tasks from your plate when returning to school.
15. Enjoy Summer
This one needs no explanation, but take the time to enjoy summer break. After all, you’ve earned it!
What tips do you have for packing up your classroom? Join the discussion inside the Simply Kinder Teachers Facebook Group.
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