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How to Deal with Back to School Anxiety during a Pandemic

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Do you have back to school anxiety about teaching during a pandemic? Here in our district we are doing a hybrid model which means we will be face to face with one cohort of students Monday and Tuesday and face to face with the other cohort Thursday and Friday.

It has us anxious for many reasons:
1. Will there be proper PPE for students?
2. Will there be proper PPE for staff?
3. How will rooms be cleaned and who will be responsible?
4. How will students move or will teachers rotate classrooms?
5. What will lunch look like?

And these are just a few of the many questions that we have yet to find the answers for. 

There is already enough anxiety as a teacher getting ready for the school year, and now we are faced going back to school during a pandemic.

So we have tried to come up with some tips, strategies and resources for you to help with your justified anxiety.

Tips and Strategies

1. Unplug from Social Media
I am sure you have already seen comments and posts by the general public and angry parents about those “lazy teachers.” You don’t need that. Put your phone, tablet, or laptop away. It will make a world of difference.

2. Do something for yourself
This could be binge watching your favorite show. You could have your favorite beverage or get your favorite carry out. It could be as simple as taking a walk too. You just need to schedule some time every day just for you. No, that is not being selfish. It is being realistic!

3. Connect with your colleagues
You are all going through the same thing right now. It will be so important to re-establish those teaching relationships heading into the school year. Human interaction is so important and we know we have missed being in touch with our teacher friends this summer.

4. Make sure to be on your custodian’s good side
This is a no brainer. But it is more important this year than any other year. Your custodian is probably stressed out trying to figure out how everything will work. Empathize with him/her. Show that you care. Heck, maybe even get a small gift card to show your appreciation. It will go a long way in these uncertain times. You might find an extra bottle of hand sanitizer or a willingness to help you out first. It is worth a shot.

5. Be there for your students
If you are like us, you miss seeing your students. This is what is keeping us going right now knowing that our students cannot wait to see their teachers and friends. That human social interaction is so important. Focus on the positives and the relationships you will form with them. Be a light in the darkness for them.

Resources

We also would like to share some resources that may help put a bounce back in your step this school year.

1. Teacher Morale Quotes Growing Bundle
We have included three sets of 30 inspirational quotes that will help keep you motivated these first three months of school. These are great to print off and look at daily on your teacher desk, or even to display in the classroom or online for students to see. We have them deeply discounted when you buy the bundle. 

2. Would You Rather Teacher Edition Cards
If you want to boost morale either in the building or online, try out these funny “Would You Rather” Teacher edition cards. These fun predicaments will have your colleagues laughing or showing signs of disgust, but more importantly, will provide your group with that much needed time to be together without data to look at or articles to read. find them here. 

3. Teacher Gift Tags
Who couldn’t use a back to school gift from a colleague? We have some teacher gift tags that would be perfect for any employee at school. Your colleagues will love these inspirational cards with treats attached. It is a sure way to boost morale in your building!

Thank you for all that you do for your students. You are appreciated!!

Why Social Emotional Learning is Needed for Back to School

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Social Emotional Learning is going to be so important this school year. With schools being shut down across the country last March, many students have not been able to see their peers and friends for close to six months!

That is why how you start the school year will be so important for your students. Yes, there is a lot of talk of how students will be behind in their learning. Guess what? So is the rest of the nation and world!

As educators, we need to make sure we check on our students either the moment they step into our classroom or login to that first zoom meeting. These kids have been through a lot and are seeking that attention from us and their classmates.

So, how do we do this in these crazy, uncertain times? Well, we start off by just being there.

1. When your students see you for the first time, smile. Smile because you also have not had that connection with students in so long. Smile because they need it. Your students are longing for attention and for recognition. Smile because you want to show your students that you are there for them and are happy to see them.

2. Do not ask about the last six months. For some it has been very difficult and even traumatic. We cannot change the past and cannot fix things that happened. By all means, though, if students do want to talk about that, either set up a one on one conference or ask them to talk with the guidance counselor. We are not saying ignore their feelings, but in a large group setting you set the tone for the school year. You want that tone to be positive from the start.

3. Use engaging activities to start the year. You want students excited to be back at school. We have created some amazing resources that will be a hit with your students! Click on the links below to learn more about each activity.
Distance Learning Trivia Bundle
Back to School Social Emotional Ranking Activity
Online Scavenger Hunt
Would You Rather School Edition Questions
Back To School Getting to Know You Google Form

4. Make sure to do a daily greeting every day. It is important to recognize students each day. This can be a simple “good morning”, but make sure you acknowledge each and every student. It will make a difference to them.

5. Let parents know that you are there. Within the first month of back to school, reach out to families to let them know that you are here for their child. Whether it be a phone call, email, or text, make sure to connect with a guardian. This will make a huge difference to them to know that their child is cared for and is valued. They will thank you for it too!

We know many of you are headed back to school soon. So we have decided to put our TPT store on sale at 20% off all of our digital resources from July 27-30th. All of our online resources and student engagement activities are included. Start filling those shopping carts now.

Finally, we also want to share an online conference that starts July 27th and ends July 31st. This is perfect for getting you ready for this school year. There are over 60 sessions, live panels and interviews, resource giveaways and so much more. Some of the topics included are: social emotional learning, distance learning, how to engage students, STEM, and so much more. Registration is open this whole week and is good for one year! Click here to sign up!

In these unprecedented times, be there for your students. Put on your teacher face and show them that you care!

    How to Engage Students the First Week of School

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    First impressions can last an entire school year. How you start that first week of school can determine the success you will have with your students. It is crucial that you engage your students right from the start. We will help provide you some tips, ideas, and resources to make sure that your students are ready to learn when they come back to school.
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