How to make coming back to school easier for ..... teachers!

Tomorrow ‘the first bell will ring again’ at schools in Greece and the big school family will gather together for yet another school year.   

Every beginning is difficult, though. It often takes some days or even weeks to get used again to the ‘land’ of homework, projects, and activities, tests and exams, getting up early and rushing to get things done on time.Although , I do love being a teacher and get pleasure  from it , I always try to make my return to school as 'enjoyable' as possible.

If you are a teacher, like myself , here are some ‘tips’ to make these first days a bit more colourful and happy for you . Remember, if you feel good , your students will be happy in class , too.

Step 1: Buy yourself some nice stationery. Yes, new stationery is for you as well, not only for students!

Why don’t you ‘invest’ some money in memo sticks with bright colours, a nice small hard cover notebook for your notes and a bigger one with an inspiring happy cover pattern for your lesson plans? Don’t forget planning your lesson is very important!  

At the beginning of every new school year, I buy a notebook where I write down my lesson plans for the next day, for all my classes. This helps me a lot organize my lesson better and makes my school life a lot easier.

 Step 2: Organize your desk at school and home . No matter how limited a space you have at work, you can try to make the best of it. In my case, I share a desk with a colleague and we have a drawer each. As this is not enough for all my teaching stuff, I have placed a plastic box on the desk (A4 size) where I keep books and stationery. It helps a lot and gives the desk some colour as its cover has a nice colourful pattern.

Another idea, if you have some more space, is to buy a small pot with a flower that can ‘live’ indoors.

I always enjoy having some flowers on my desk, either in a vase or in a small pot.

 Step 3:

Think of and organize an interesting long or short term project with your class. If you live in Europe, check eTwinning school partnerships(http://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/index.htm) and look for partners all over Europe, you can do a lovely project together. It will give a ‘European’ dimension to your class and your students the chance to make new friendships.

Step 4: Try to find some time for yourself this year , to do something that you enjoy. You can join a gym class, photography club, drama club or crochet group . You can even start doing your own jewellery.  There are many shops that sell a variety of materials at very low prices, to help you create your own beautiful, unique pieces of jewellery.  If this is not feasible, you can just find some time in the week to go for a walk in the country or in a park near your house , take some photos and enjoy the beauty of nature. This will recharge your batteries and help you cope with the demands of everyday life.

Here are some pictures I took in a rainy afternoon, some days ago, during a walk in a suburb of Athens.

 I adore these little delicate pink flowers  (cyclamens) that appear at the end of summer , beginning of September .

 They love humidity and have a very sweet ,soft smell .

 For me, they are the essence of autumn.   

Step 5: Think positive dear friends, no matter how hard this may be. Life is often what you make it!

Happy new school year then and my love to you , till next time, 

Tina xxx