I had a great vacation with my husband and now it's time to get back to work! My college students are rocking their finals this week and my summer tutoring kids are getting used to all the fun review games we've been playing! I have seriously played Spanish charades at least twice a week!
Just like teachers who have to prep their classrooms, tutors have to start getting their fall gear set up! Here are a few projects I am working on to get ready for the crazy fall rush!
1. Closing summer with a pretty bow!
I did not have any "down" time this summer with tutoring! My schedule was almost as busy as the school year. So instead of rushing through this semester and scrambling into fall, I am making sure I give closure to all of my summer students. This means checking up on their finals, doing summer rap up math games to make sure we've accomplished our goals, and reassessing students with LetsGoLearn.com (I love them! Read more about them on their website!)
2. Speaking of Lets Go Learn...
As I start the new school year and begin seeing new math students, I will keep stepping toward making informed quantitative decisions with my teaching. So all of my math students will be offered a LetsGoLearn.com assessment. It is an inexpensive way to get loads and I mean LOADS of information on math and reading skills. One test is as inexpensive as $20 and the price goes down with multiple tests or with the occasional coupon. Not only do I discuss the results with the parent (and student if desired) but I also take qualitative notes to get a well-rounded picture of my students before we tackle tutoring. The statistics nerd in me gets sooooo happy with Lets Go Learn! :)
3. Piling Papers in Pretty Piles!
I am on a mission to organize my home office before the fall semester. The real reason (other than cleaning my home) is to be ready for the new students I will be receiving and the old ones that will end tutoring this year. (My seniors... gotta hold back dem tears!!) Everything from business receipts to my Teachers Pay Teachers material, it all needs to be printed, shredded, organized, piled, and ready for the incoming 2014-2015 paperwork storm that is a-brewing!
4. New Scheduling Methods!
I know I am not the only one that wishes they could clone a receptionist out of themselves! My schedule has to be my most important tools (other than my brain and Bible of course!). I am working on a new scheduling system that will allow parents and students to CHOOSE the time they would like to meet! So we don't have to wait hours for an email response or call back! Check out the details on that soon!
5. Food and Family Frenzy!
As many of you know, my struggle to eat a warm meal is very real since I don't have a microwave in my car. So along with all of the above, I am making sure that I am able to put my God-given responsibility of taking care of my family first! This includes scheduling times to EAT a warm meal during my busy schedule, having enough time to take out my dog, and keeping a CLEANER house for my husband. Work gets so busy, I know that we can all say we have neglected something because of work--so I am trying to make sure that doesn't happen too often this year!Those are the 5 things I am doing before school starts! Of course, school starts after Labor Day back home in California... so I'm giving myself that deadline instead of the first week of August! haha
What are you doing to prepare for the school year as a teacher, tutor, parent, or student? I would love to know what's on your list!
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