Newly Hired Teacher? What To Do Before September

by · June 14, 2023

You’re new to the teaching profession and you’ve just been hired for a new school year. Congratulations! Now it’s time to prepare. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed with everything that needs preparing; new classroom, new colleagues, new curriculum, new students… the list goes on. With so many things going through your head about what you need before the start of school in September, it’s difficult not to forget some important tasks that are essential for a successful first year as an educator. In this blog post we will take you through a checklist of ways to prepare for being a teacher next year that should help make your life easier!

new teacher checklist

First, you’re going to need to collect a number of items. You’ll want to get to know your new school and the resources you’ll be using.

The June Checklist for Every New Teacher

What to Get from Other People:

  • Classroom keys
  • School Handbook
  • Photocopy number
  • List of resources that should be in the classroom
  • Combined grade curriculum guides
  • Planning time subjects
  • Class List
  • School year calendar with reporting dates, EQAO, open house night, etc. (put these dates in Google calendar)
  • Long range plans and class schedule from previous teacher if possible
  • Supply order forms
  • Budget

What to Bring Home:

  • 1st unit from each teacher’s manual
  • One student book for each unit
  • Combined grade resources
  • Class List
  • School Handbook
  • Long range plans
  • Any year long planners from teacher’s manuals

To Do:

  • Introduce self to secretary, custodians, special education teacher, grade partners (exchange phone numbers)
  • Take pictures of everything in your class (inside cupboards too!)
  • Take inventory of classroom supplies

What to Do During the Summer to Prepare for a New Teaching Job

The new school year is only a few months away and you are already feeling the summer blues. It’s time to be reminded of what needs to get done before September comes!

Here is your checklist for long-term goals and short term tasks:

  • Familiarize yourself with your new school’s policies, bell times, etc.
  • Read new teachers’ manual
  • Review curriculum (here’s the Ontario Curriculum) and gather materials for new classes
  • Find existing long range plans for your grade online or by asking your grade partners
  • Make changes to long range plans if necessary
  • Plan your first unit in each subject
  • Talk to your grade partners about expectations (e.g., where students line up to come inside, how dismissal works)
  • Imagine yourself as a student in your class and think through a day in your classroom to debug any procedures
  • Set up an online classroom website (each Board has a preferred platform)
  • Write a newsletter to introduce yourself and classroom expectations and procedures to families on the first day – find examples online
  • Depending on your school’s policies, order classroom supplies
  • Try not to be tempted to spend a lot of money!

Starting from scratch in a new school can be overwhelming. Remember to focus on what is most important in September – getting to know your students and setting up solid classroom routines and expectations that will carry you through the year. Congratulations again on entering the best profession in the world! You can do great things!

Head over here for my Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist for Teachers.

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