Spoiler alert: Your life doesn’t have to be a three-ring circus this fall. Here’s your backstage pass to a smoother, sharper start, no ironed pants or photocopied handouts in sight.
Let’s be honest: most back-to-school checklists sound like they were written by a printer technician or Pinterest parent. Print the worksheets. Label the baskets. Organise your stickers. Iron your clothes.
You know what no one talks about? The real things that actually help you walk into the school year feeling grounded and not exhausted before the students even arrive.
This is your non-basic, sanity-first checklist.
Before the year begins, take 15 quiet minutes to write down three things you won’t compromise on. No matter what the schedule, admin, or chaos throws at you.
These aren’t rules. They’re anchors and without them, you’ll drift fast.
A few examples:
A five-minute reset between classes.
Never checking work WhatsApp after 8 PM.
One lesson a week where students lead.
A Friday coffee with a colleague who makes you laugh.
Never bringing home to work and work to home.
Setting up clear boundaries on what and how much responsibility you are willing to take on.
They don’t need to be profound or the same as above. They just need to be yours.
Forget planning what to repeat. Ask yourself: What will I retire this year?
A lesson format that felt stale but safe
Over-explaining what students can explore
Saying yes to that extra committee because it “looks good”
Feeling guilty for not being the “always-on” teacher
Letting go is a form of planning too. And often, far more powerful than colour-coding your planner.
You have rubrics for students. What about one for yourself?
Before school begins, create a simple internal system for checking in. Ask:
What does burnout feel like before it gets bad?
What does a “good enough” day look like?
How can you ground yourself when you are overstimulated?
Having a ritual in hand to differentiate between reality and that dark train of thought.
This isn’t fluff, it’s self-leadership. Because your classroom doesn’t need a robot, it needs a steady human at the centre.
Don’t aim to ‘cover’ content as you enter the year. Aim to create momentum.
The first week of school isn’t a test but a tone-setter. You’re not measuring what kids remember. You’re helping them feel safe enough to learn.
Try this instead:
Establish class rhythms that reduce decision fatigue
Introduce how your space feels, not just what it covers
Model calm, not urgency
Establish some ground rules that you wish everyone to follow.
The learning will come. But first, let them arrive. Fully.
You don’t need all the tech tools in the world. You need more intentionality.
Pick one area of your practice to sharpen this year. Go deep, not wide.
It could be:
Better questioning
Tighter feedback
More authentic student-led learning
Using silence more effectively
Depth is where the good stuff lives, not in the tabs you have open.
You don’t need to prepare like a machine. You need to prepare like a human.
This checklist isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing things with clarity so your classroom isn’t just managed.
It’s yours. Sane and fruitful both for you and your students.
