The first month of school is exciting – but let’s be honest, it can also feel like a whirlwind.

Even for veteran teachers, those first weeks can bring challenges that leave you drained by the end of the day. If you’re feeling it, you’re not alone. Upper elementary students bring big energy, big emotions, and big expectations, and teachers juggle just as much behind the scenes.

Here are some of the most common stresses teachers face in the first month of school—and some simple ways to manage them.

1. Teaching and Reteaching Routines

The truth is: you’ll feel like a broken record in September. Walking through each step of lining up, turning in work, or getting out materials can feel exhausting, especially when you’ve explained it for the tenth (or hundredth) time. But consistency now saves you headaches later.

Tip: Break routines into small chunks, model, practice, and repeat. Keep a calm tone and remind yourself that every time you reteach, you’re investing in smoother days ahead.

Need some help with classroom procedures? Here’s my free guide!

2. Relationship Building Takes Energy

You want to know your students deeply – their strengths, quirks, and stories. But in the first month, you’re also balancing curriculum pacing, assessments, and family communication. It can feel like too much at once.

Tip: Focus on small daily interactions. A quick “How was soccer?” or “I noticed you helped a classmate – thank you!” goes a long way. Relationship-building doesn’t have to be big, it just has to be consistent.

Here are my tips for building relationships throughout the year, not just at back-to-school time!

3. The Academic Gap Reality Check

The first month often reveals just how wide the academic gaps are in your classroom. Some kids are soaring ahead, while others are still struggling with last year’s skills. That can leave you scrambling to differentiate right out of the gate.

Tip: Use quick formative checks and flexible grouping. You don’t have to “fix” everything at once. Set small, realistic goals for where you want students to be by the end of the first quarter.

Here are my tips for the “fast finishers” in your classroom!

4. Communication Overload

Emails from parents, reminders from admin, team planning, and district updates can make you feel like your brain is constantly buzzing. It’s easy to feel like you’re behind before you even start teaching.

Tip: Batch communication. Decide when you’ll check email (maybe before school and once after dismissal) and protect your teaching block from interruptions. Templates for common replies (“Thanks for reaching out! I’ll follow up after I . . .”) can save you time.

5. Managing Your Own Energy

By Friday of week one, you may already feel like you’ve run a marathon. The emotional output of being “on” all day, plus the physical demands of moving around the room, is no joke.

Tip: Build in small resets. Sit for a few minutes at lunch. Step outside for fresh air after dismissal. Give yourself permission to let some things slide at home during these first weeks. Rest is not a luxury—it’s necessary.

Here are my tips for back-to-school tired!

Final Thought

The first month of school will always be full of big emotions, high energy, and yes – stress. But it’s also when you set the foundation for the entire year. Give yourself grace, lean on your routines, and remember: you don’t have to do everything at once. Your students need a calm, consistent teacher far more than they need a Pinterest-perfect classroom.

✨ If you’re looking for more support, my Back to School Planning Guidebook and First Two Weeks Teacher’s Guide are packed with tips, templates, and ready-to-use activities to help you start the year with confidence and calm.

All of my content is intended to save teachers time and energy. My goal is to make good teaching sustainable while having a life outside of teaching. Let me know how I can help YOU with this quick form!

This post is from the Introduction in my e-book Upper Elementary Teacher’s Guide to the First Two Weeks of School. You can learn more about that e-book HERE.

We all know the importance of the first days of school. We want our students to settle into routines quickly, our classrooms to run smoothly, and everyone to work well together, so we can get down to the business of teaching and learning as soon as possible.

So how do we get there?!

This is your guide for planning your first days of school: teaching and practicing those routines, establishing your expectations for social skills and work habits, getting to know your students and helping them get to know each other, and easing into your academic content.

I am a big fan of The Responsive Classroom resources. One of my favorite books is Teaching Children to Care by Ruth Sidney Charney. In this book, she talks extensively about the importance of the first six weeks of school.

Here’s what she says:

I have grown to appreciate the task of helping children learn to take better care of themselves, each other, and their classrooms. It’s not a waste. It’s probably the most enduring thing that I teach. In a world filled with global violence, threats of . . . environmental devastation, where drugs and guns are available on nearly every street corner, learning to be more decent and to build caring communities is hardly a waste of time.

In building that community, we set certain expectations. We expect our students to:

Know and use each other’s names
Learn about others’ interests
Take turns
Share
Join activities in a positive way
Invite others to join
Be friendly and include everyone
Cooperate
Solve conflicts

Planning appropriate activities for the first days of school helps establish these expectations and gives students plenty of opportunities to practice.

Charney says:

I spend the first six weeks of school teaching my children how to behave. It rarely takes less time; sometimes, it takes more. I cannot presume that what was so clear last year will be remembered and accepted this year. I start again.

As we teach our routines and procedures and expectations, we also get to know our students and help them to feel “seen.”

We do this with carefully selected activities, yes, but also by observing our students and letting them know that we “see” them, but not in a creepy way! This is about noticing what they are doing and commenting positively on what we see.

How do we do that? We make comments that are encouraging (and support student efforts), specific (naming behaviors and accomplishments instead of just saying “good job”), and positive (saying, “show me what you will do” instead of saying, “don’t do that.”)

Here are some examples of commenting on what you see.

Reinforcing:
I notice the way you remembered . . .
I notice that many of you like . . .
I notice lots of different ideas for . . .
I notice that most of you are taking time to read the directions and are now figuring things out for yourself.

Reminding:
Before we go to specials, remind me what we do.
Who remembers what we need to be ready for math? Please show me.
Remind me, what do you do if you . . .
If someone asks you to play a game, what are friendly ways you might respond? Remind me.
Remind us what happens in our class if someone makes a mistake.
Remind me, what’s your job right now?
Remind me what happens if someone needs to use your markers. What can you say?

Redirecting
Pencils are for writing.
I hear a lot of talking. This is your time to get your folders.
I hear conversations about movies. What do you need to be thinking about now?

We teach routines and procedures, establish our expectations, and build community by getting to know our students and helping them get to know each other.

Another tip to remember is to “go slow to go fast.”

We spend the time we need to spend to practice routines and build community. We also “open” the classroom gradually. We introduce different materials and areas of the classroom over the first two weeks of school instead of all at once, on the first day. When we introduce those materials and areas, we also teach the expectations and responsibilities for using those resources.

With that in mind, here are my goals for the first two weeks of school:

establish relationships with students, giving everyone a fresh start
build community in our classroom with student interaction
help my students get to know me
teach and reinforce routines & procedures
begin academic content with low-stress activities
teach/review growth mindset
assess student needs and learning styles

Feel free to borrow my goals or create your own!

My goals for the first day are more specific. Here they are:

greet students and help them feel welcome and safe in my class
learn names and correct pronunciation of names
get to know my students and help them get to know me
build classroom community with games and team-building
establish expectations for classroom routines and procedures (but not all on the first day!)
incorporate lots of read-alouds
get everyone home safely
make them want to come back the next day! 😉

Michael Linsin of Smart Classroom Management says this:

“My number one goal on the first day of school is that my students love being in my class.
The reason, simply put, is that it makes anything and everything to do with effective teaching and classroom management easier.”

You can read more of Michael’s post here.

Finally, here’s your last word of wisdom from Ruth Sidney Charney:

I first must give children the security that I “see” them as individuals and as a group. Then I work to “see everything,” to extend this positive sense of security beyond my sight. When children begin to internalize positive expectations, they are then free to learn in an atmosphere that fosters independence and responsibility.

Ready to get started? Grab the Upper Elementary Teacher’s Guide to the First Two Weeks of School!

Getting your school year started on the best, most positive note is always the goal on the first day of school.

How to do that? Here are 11 tips!

1 – Get to school at least 15 minutes before students arrive and get yourself prepared.

Develop a routine to set yourself up for the day and get your head in the game. (I’ve got some tips for that in this resource.)

When you’re there before your students and you’re prepared for them to walk in the door, you set the tone for your students. When there’s no “downtime” (while waiting for you to get ready), they know that they need to get down to business.

2 – Be prepared and organized for your first teaching block of the day.

Have any technology ready to go, teaching supplies readily available, and directions displayed on the board. Again, this prevents student “downtime” and messing around. Once your students get off track, it’s more difficult to rein them back in. Save yourself that stress!

3 – Greet your students at the door.

This may seem like a small thing, but it is incredibly important. Simply smile and say “good morning,” using their name.

Greeting your students helps them feel “seen” from the very first moment they enter your classroom. Greeting them allows you to see who might need a little extra attention or redirection.

4 – Teach your routines, procedures, and expectations from the first moment of the first day of school.

And then plan to repeat and practice every day for at least the first two weeks.

Before planning your first academic lessons, consider a plan for teaching your routines, procedures, and expectations. It’s some of the most important teaching you will do all year. Here is a free resource for teaching procedures.

If you need more in-depth help with this, see my Back to School Planning Guide and The Upper Elementary Teacher’s Guide to the First Two Weeks of School.

5 – Prepare to rinse and repeat with the routines, procedures, and expectations.

Be consistent. When you are consistent, students feel “safe” because they know exactly what you expect and exactly what will happen. It’s kind of like knowing where the lane lines are on the highway. (They might still veer out of their lane from time to time, but teaching the “lane lines” will help minimize that!)

6 – Be flexible.

Always have a plan, but be prepared for interruptions. Some activities or lessons may take longer than you anticipated, and you might need to plan more time for that lesson the next day. Some activities or lessons may not take as long as you expected, so be prepared with some “sponge” activities to use the time effectively.

7 – Get to know your students. Here are some ways to do that.

Begin classroom community circles. See my post here for step-by-step instructions on how I implement circles.

Assign homework that allows students to share more about themselves. A very popular activity is to give students a brown paper lunch bag with a list of topics or ideas for things they might share. The trick is that everything that they share must fit inside the brown bag. (They can’t fit their dog inside, for instance, but they could include a picture of their dog!). Here’s a ready-to-use version of this activity on Teachers Pay Teachers!

Consider implementing dialogue journals. Here is my post about how to do that.

Learn more about your students’ likes and dislikes with these questions. Here are some questions you can use.

Getting input from students’ families/caregivers is also very helpful. Here is a ready-to-use resource for doing that.

8 – Read aloud to your students! Here is a link to some of my favorite chapter books and favorite picture books for upper elementary students.

9 – Give your students information about you!

Use a slide presentation to share more about yourself with your students! I call mine “The Care and Feeding of Mrs. Smith”. Tell your students more about you, what you love, what you hate, and what you expect from them. Create a Google Slides presentation of facts about you. To keep this activity (or any activity) from becoming too long and tedious, just share a few facts each day.

10 – Plan for movement breaks and stretch breaks, but stay on track! More frequent, but shorter breaks tend to be most effective.

11 – Initiate positive contact with parents/caregivers. Here are some tips.

To recap, here are 11 things to do to ensure success from your first day of school:

1 – Get to school a little early and get prepared
2 – Organize for your first teaching block of the day
3 – Greet your students at the door
4 – Teach your routines, procedures, and expectations on the very first day
5 – Plan to re-teach and practice those routines, procedures, and expectations!
6 – Be flexible! Have a plan for extra time.
7 – Get to know your students
8 – Read aloud!
9 – Tell your students about yourself
10 – Plan movement/stretch breaks
10 – Initiate positive contact with parents/caregivers

Need help with how to implement all of this in a step-by-step way? Take a look at my Upper Elementary Teacher’s Guide to the First Two Weeks of School!

Let me know how these tips work for you. Have a great first day of school!

All of my content is intended to save teachers time and energy. My goal is to make good teaching sustainable while having a life outside of teaching. Let me know how I can help YOU with this quick form!

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Can you believe that it’s already August?!

Maybe you’re the type of teacher who has been excited about back-to-school ever since Target started displaying the school supplies. (Is it my imagination, or does that happen earlier and earlier every year?)

Or maybe you’re the type of teacher who feels like this:

Source

Many teachers find themselves somewhere in between.

Back-to-school prep can feel overwhelming, but you can set yourself up for a smooth and successful start to the year.

August is the ideal time to plan for both your classroom and your well-being.

Here are five essential tasks to make sure you’re ready for the school year ahead.

1. Buy a Good Planner

Even if you also use a digital planner, a good paper planner is your secret weapon for staying organized and reducing stress.

The right planner will help you manage all the moving parts of a busy school year. It helps you see what’s coming and what you need to prepare for at a glance without having to click a million links.

Here are a few of my favorites.

The Emily Ley teacher planner includes sections for just about everything you might need. It is also reasonably priced.

The Erin Condren Teacher Planner: This planner includes calendars, space for lesson planning, student notes, and goal-setting pages.

Many teachers love the Happy Planner Teacher Edition. This planner lets you create your own planning layouts. You can add, remove, or rearrange pages.

The Bloom Teacher Planner is another favorite. It uses a vertical planning layout (which some people prefer). The monthly calendars include lots of space for notes. I also appreciate the extra space for topics such as “notes for a sub,” student information, and field trip planning.

Choose a planner that feels comfortable for you and fits your style! (Your school may supply a generic teacher planner for you, like this one, and that might be sufficient for your needs.)

2. Reflection Questions to Prep for the School Year

Before you dive into lesson plans and classroom setup, it’s a good practice to reflect on the past year.

Here are a few questions to guide your reflection:

~What worked well last year? Think about lessons, classroom management strategies, and student engagement techniques that were successful.

~What do you want to improve? Identify areas where you want to strengthen or change up your instruction this year.

~What got on your nerves last year? (It might seem odd to reflect on the negative when you’re trying to set up for a good year, but if you can think about areas that were particularly problematic for you, then you can make a plan for what to do to help prevent that issue this year.)

~What were your most meaningful moments with students last year? Reflect on what you want to replicate to build your connections with students this year.

~How can you create a supportive classroom environment? Consider how you can foster a culture of respect and collaboration from day one.

Taking the time to answer these questions will help you think about routines, procedures, classroom set-up, and how you want to structure your first weeks of school.

If you want help with structuring your first two weeks of school (complete with lots of tips for establishing a positive classroom environment), check out my guidebook for the First Two Weeks of School in Upper Elementary Grades!

3. Self-Care Habits to Incorporate

As teachers, it’s easy to put everyone else’s needs ahead of your own, but taking care of yourself is critical for sustaining your energy throughout the year.

Here are a few self-care habits to integrate into your routine:

~Get enough rest. Sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Create a bedtime routine that allows you to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

~Exercise regularly: Even a quick 10-minute walk can help clear your head and boost your energy.

~Set boundaries: Leave school at a reasonable time when possible, and take breaks during the day when possible. (Even doing some deep breathing while you’re in the restroom can help you reset.)

~Practice mindfulness: Incorporate a short mindfulness or meditation practice to reduce stress.

~Stay hydrated and eat well: Focus on eating more nutrient-rich foods (more fruits and vegetables and protein, less junk food) and staying hydrated to keep your energy levels up.

Prioritizing your own health and well-being makes you a better teacher, wife/partner, mom, etc. Take care of yourself!

4. Supplies to Buy for Your Classroom

While back-to-school sales can be tempting, it’s important to prioritize what you need. (And see if your school or district or PTA/PTO provides these supplies or money to purchase them.)

Here’s a printable list of essential supplies for the start of the year. And here is a link to a blog post about first year teacher supplies.

5. Classroom Procedures to Think About

Establishing clear routines and procedures from the start will make a huge difference in your classroom management.

Consider the following areas as you plan out your procedures.

~Classroom expectations: What are your rules for respect, responsibility, and cooperation? Consider creating a visual poster or chart to remind students.

~Transitions: How will you move from one activity to the next? Think about how you’ll guide students through transitions in an orderly and efficient manner.

~Early finishers: What will students do when they finish their work early? Have a list of tasks or challenges ready for them to complete independently.

~Morning routine: How will students enter the classroom? Will they unpack, check in, or begin a morning task? Create a consistent routine.

~Classroom jobs: Think about assigning students specific responsibilities, such as handing out materials, taking attendance, or organizing supplies.

Being proactive about procedures is so important! It will minimize chaos in your classroom and sets students up for success because they know what you expect.

Here are some helpful resources for you!

My free course on classroom procedures

My free resource for teaching classroom procedures

My free classroom procedures review activity on TPT

If you want more help and support, take a look at my Back to School Planning guidebook and my Upper Elementary Teacher’s Guide to the First Two Weeks of School.

Wrapping It Up

August is the perfect time to set yourself up for a successful school year.

Get a good planner, reflect on your goals, prioritize a self-care plan, stock up on essential supplies, and plan your classroom procedures.

All of these activities will help create a solid foundation for a smooth start.

Here’s to a fantastic school year ahead!

All of my content is intended to save teachers time and energy. My goal is to make good teaching sustainable while having a life outside of teaching. Let me know how I can help YOU with this quick form!