Earlier this month, I shared the three things I always set up before back-to-school chaos hits. This week, I want to hand you the bigger version. The full checklist I print out and walk through before the first day.
This isn’t about having a Pinterest-perfect classroom. It’s about not spending the first week of school improvising things I could’ve had ready in July.
Centers and materials
- I give each center a clear visual label, picture plus word, along with Velcro dots that show how many students can be at each center
- Materials live in bins kids can reach and return on their own
- Anything fragile or limited stays out of the free-choice rotation for week one
The Classroom Center Signs are editable, so I can relabel a center in two minutes flat when plans change.
Visual Supports
- A visual schedule goes up at kid height, not adult height
- My circle time schedule cards are posted and ready to go! I start off with just a few activities, knowing that it will be difficult for these new preschoolers to sit for a long stretch of time
- Sticker charts have their names and are taped close to the whole group- also ready to go!
- Their photos paired with their first names are all over the classroom- helping them to see exactly where to put their coats, backpacks… I also have photos ready for small group rotation and for them to easily find their morning work after breakfast
- I build a first/then board before I even know which students will need it
- The line-up shape train is printed, laminated, and taped to the floor ready for those little feet to transition
- Every activity we do is discussed before we do it. We discuss bus rules, playground rules, hallway rules… All of these have easy social stories to read, posters, and interactive sorts to reinforce these behaviors
- Handwashing routines and bathroom routines are also discussed with visuals near the sink and in the bathroom
- Our Word Wall Display is up and ready for the first batch of vocabulary cards
Calm and sensory spaces
- The calm corner stays stocked and easy to point to, not buried in a closet
- I keep sensory tools, like fidgets or weighted items, within reach, not locked away
- A simple visual card explains how to use the space, so it’s self-explanatory from day one
Data and documentation
- I print my data sheets and set up my system before the year starts, not “figure it out later”
- Pull and organize IEP goal trackers by student, ahead of time
- A simple communication log stands ready to go from day one
My Student Self-Assessment Books have become my go-to here. One simple system, used all year, instead of reinventing it every month. I also tend to turn to my File Folder Assessments, which I have shared previously. One system seems to work the best so the data stays cohesive and organized.
I print this list out every single year and physically check things off, room by room, before the first day. Does it always go perfectly? Of course not. Something always comes up. But this list has saved me more than once from a chaotic first week that could’ve been avoided with twenty extra minutes in July.
Save this one. Screenshot it. Print it. Whatever helps you actually use it when the time comes.
What’s on your list that I didn’t think of? I’d love to know.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog, check out my BLOG on easy ways to create relationships with your students!
Happy you are here,
Mary Kay
