You know how teachers say August is all one big Sunday night? It’s true. You know you need to start getting your mind back to work and focus on the new school year, but the end of summer is constantly pulling you away from those thoughts. Plus, don’t we give our schools enough without sacrificing our summer as well? After all, summer is one of the few genuinely great perks we can claim as teachers.
Then, as we approach the start of school, it feels like the school administration, along with the custodial staff, puts numerous obstacles in our way. It’s almost as if they don’t want us to be ready for the start of school. I mean, how many of us have sat in an auditorium listening to a superintendent talk, all the while thinking about what “really” needs to get done. No matter how interesting (or uninteresting) the talk, part of your brain is thinking about what you need to do to be ready for your students—preparing your room, finishing a syllabus, unpacking supplies that came in over summer. To me, it honestly always felt like a cruel joke to fill most of the two days before school with anything that had my butt in a chair.
When I was a young teacher, I could power through a lot of those days, but as my life evolved and I had a family to consider, my time had a lot more constraints. On those back-to-school days, I could generally count on a migraine- it was just all too much. But the older version of me had something my younger self lacked: experience, wisdom, and the Serenity Prayer. The words “…grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” always seem very applicable to the start of the school year.
So, I developed survival strategies for myself that helped me avoid becoming a ball of stress. I am sure you have some too!
Making the Most of Summer
I had a school where the custodians’ floor cleaning and waxing schedule put the art rooms dead last. Even more exasperating, we couldn’t walk on them for two days afterwards. So, while other teachers waltzed in and started preparing their rooms, I was out of luck. So, instead of getting angry, I decided to take it as a sign that I was meant to go home and enjoy my summer up to the bitter end.
Instead, while my kids were at a summer activites in June and July, I would head into school and do some prep. Unpack the supplies that arrived, run off copies, create test tiles for my ceramics classes, etc. It was a wonderful, quiet time with few distractions. Standard tasks an art teacher can do ahead of time include organizing and labeling supplies, arranging the classroom layout, and preparing bulletin boards.
I also did things at home, such as writing first-day handouts like syllabi, sub plans, and some lesson planning. Consider the technology you plan to use. Utilize digital tools and apps for planning, organizing, and communication to streamline processes and save time. What can you upload to your school platforms ahead of time? Will you utilize technology tools for classroom management, such as ClassDojo, that enable the awarding of points for positive behavior? What other online programs might you familiarize yourself with, adding to your teaching toolkit? Kahoot! and Pear Deck, for example. Plan your activities for the first week, including getting-to-know-you activities and icebreakers, to build a strong classroom community. While I have a section on creating work life balance, I think alotting some summer time towards prep a good investmant. Putting in some preparation time over the summer, the less scrambling you’ll do when you get back, and the less stressful it will be for you.
Also, what can you do over the summer to make the back-to-school time less stressful at home? Can you make and freeze some meals? I used to schedule my annual physical, my teeth cleaning, and my eye exam all over the summer. When I was a mom, the same went for my kids’ yearly pediatrician appointments. Consider planning ahead by filling prescriptions and setting up Amazon Subscribe and Save for items you buy regularly. Also, ensure your closet is ready for school.
Adjust Your Internal Clock
Over the summer, did you move from being an early bird to a night owl? Do your body a favor and start adjusting sleep schedules. Gradually shift bedtime and wake-up time to align with the school schedule a week or two before school starts. Figure out what your new morning routine will look like at home and plan and buy what you will need. You may need a new work, lunch bag, thermos, etc. My family relied on a dry-erase calendar on our fridge to keep organized.
Starting Strong with Art Room Routines
We forget that students need structure, even in a creative discipline. Maybe especially in a creative discipline. Instead of diving into projects, focus on teaching routines that will help your classroom operate well all year. Teach students how to enter, find their seats, and get materials with minimal disruption. Consider having a bell ringer activity, a short creative warm-up (e.g., quick sketch, color mixing challenge, visual journal entry), students can do as soon as they enter. Bellringers can give you time to take attendance.
Teach students how to manage art room materials. I always had a central table that had the supplies needed for the current project. You could assign student helpers or table jobs to pass out and collect materials. Before providing tools, demonstrate how to use them; demonstrate how to clean brushes, close paint properly, and organize supplies.
Think about how you will moderate noise levels in your classroom. For middle-aged students, you can use visual cues (think traffic light systems, or hand signals) or verbal cues (For example, you say Mona, they say Lisa). Introduce any reward systems you might be using for your class and/or weekly routines. You may have a short art history lesson on Monday to start the week, or the class does a deeper clean on Fridays.
Think about time. It’s so easy to get into a lesson that you lose track of time. One way to prevent being caught off guard at the end of the period is to use a visual or audio timer to remind you to transition to your end-of-period routines. Remind students what they learned about managing their art tools, and be sure to teach them where they will store their work. If you will have assigned rotating jobs, the beginning of the year is the time to teach them about their jobs, how they rotate, and how to perform their job. I personally never liked students crowding the classroom door, so I taught my students from day one to return to their tables and seats after cleaning. Once the whole classroom was inspected and the bell rang, they could leave their seats and the room, which I carefully guarded.
The beginning of the year is also a great time to teach your protocol for early finishers. Introduce students to activities like free draw, artist research, or sketchbook prompts to minimize downtime for mischief.
Keep It Simple
Everything I had planned for the first few days was flexible and loose, as I couldn’t get into my room. Examples of activities I would incorporate into my classes include a creativity test, a ‘Name That Famous Piece of Art’ game, and room tours. The most we used was paper and pencil. Often, I wouldn’t know when the supplies would arrive, so I decided it was easier to make do with minimal materials. For my first project, I relied on materials I already had in my classroom. Keeping the materials simple has the bonus of allowing you to teach material management and cleaning, so this aspect will be relatively straightforward to start. And, whatever you do, don’t start a meaty project too soon, or give students storage folders yet, as the first few days are a lot of schedule changes for kids.
All you need to do is be ready for the next day
While it’s great to have a sense of what projects you”re working on’ll be doing and when, initially, it’s best to take it one day at a time. This is especially true for new teachers or teachers in a new position in a new school. Even if you mapped out a whole year, you may need to scrap those plans as you get to know your classes, their skill level, and what assignments they’ve done in the past. Always prioritize the next day, and anything else you get done is a bonus. You won’t always need to live day to day, but there is nothing wrong with it at the beginning of the year.
Plan your self-care
Consider your schedule and plan time that is entirely your own, not just now but throughout the year. Be sure to take your lunch break. For me, over the years, my lunch break was my “untouchable” 25 minutes. I locked my room and headed to the faculty lunch room, no matter what. This ensures not only that you are taking care of yourself but also allows you to connect with colleagues. If you’re a teacher and parent, like myself, it’s a great time to have “adult” company and conversation and keep a pulse on what is happening around the school.
Create boundaries
Closing your room and heading to lunch is one way to create boundaries; everyone should eat! Don’t be afraid to claim your planning period as your own as well. You don’t have to have kids come work in the art room during your planning periods or deal with people asking for supplies. Consider hanging a sign like this on your door (closed and locked if necessary):
Art Teacher at Work
This is my planning time — I’m not available for drop-ins.
Let’s connect during passing time or by email.
Your respect for this time helps our classroom thrive!
Learning to say “No” to is another way to set boundaries. Art teachers are often asked to do a lot of extras: art shows and displays, play scenery, posters, art club, yearbook, murals, etc. It’s OK to say no. It’s also OK to ask if work that can’t be done during school hours would be paid. We have professional skills that people pay money for after all.
Here are some professional ways to say “No” to requests that you just can’t or don’t want to take on:
- Express Appreciation, Then Decline
“I really appreciate you thinking of me for this, but I’m currently at capacity with my teaching and existing commitments. I wouldn’t be able to give it the attention it deserves.” - Emphasize Your Commitment to Quality
“I want to be sure that everything I do for the school is done well. Right now, taking on additional work would stretch me too thin and affect the quality of my teaching and student support.” - Offer an Alternative (if you feel comfortable)
“Unfortunately, I can’t take on this extra project right now. But if you’re looking for help, perhaps [Name] might be available or we can revisit this at a later time when things are a bit less demanding.” - Be Honest, Without Guilt
“With the current workload and my responsibilities in the art room, I need to say no to additional projects. It’s important I maintain a healthy balance and prioritize my students’ learning.” - If You’ve Already Taken on a Lot
“I’ve taken on a few extra roles recently, and I need to draw a line to avoid burnout. I hope you understand.”
Share your strategies for managing back-to-school craziness in the comments!
