It’s that time again! The sound of the alarm clock is back, time to get up and get ready for school! The desks have been cleaned and the classroom is ready to welcome in a new set of students! Can you believe it’s 2021 already? I don’t know how it’s February already!

With that said, welcome back! We hope you have had a well-deserved break and have come back re-energised and ready for what the year has in store. Coming back to school can be a mix of emotions; electrifying, nerve racking and filled with anticipation at meeting new colleagues and students! With the start of the year being quite a busy time, welcoming your new students, preparing for the year, and looking for effective ways to develop your class in the coming year, it’s important to remember the keys to creating a successful year.

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1. Reflection

Reflection is a great way to collect, record and analyse everything that has previously worked and what hasn’t.  Reflection comes with many benefits:

Professional Growth: Self-reflection plays an important role in order to change and grow. If teachers do not self-reflect, improvement cannot occur.

Keep up-to-date and innovative: Students are continuously being introduced to new technologies and ways of thinking. It is important to reflect, research and practice new ideas and approaches to gain maximum success and stay up to date with the latest trends.

Understanding your students: Take a minute to step inside their shoes, think about what your students need from you and how you can provide it for them.

Develop reflective learners: When teachers are open to reflective practice, they can encourage their students to reflect on their own learning. 

2. Planning

Planning is a creative process that is crucial to becoming a successful teacher. Planning gives teachers the opportunity to think about their lesson objectives, types of activities to meet those objectives, the materials needed and how long each activity might take, allowing teachers to be prepared for any complex learning situation. A classroom that is well structured allows students to stay focused and have trust within their teacher to help them learn and grow.

3. Routine

Routines are so important! Creating routines for students sets expectations and processes to help them become successful, whilst it may take time to establish these routines, in the long run it will save more time and make teaching practice more effective and efficient. Creating a routine in a classroom can make it easier for students to learn and achieve more as well as create a safe space. Through routine students know what to expect and how to do certain things on their own.

4. Creating goals for you and your students

Setting goals can influence new positive behaviours; you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Goals create accountability and can help align concentration and promote a sense of self mastery. Lastly, goals give you motivation! By setting a concrete goal it gives you something to be excited about once you reach your goal. What are your goals? What are your student goals? Let us know!

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With another big year ahead, we want you to know that Renaissance is here to support you and your students! For any information about our solutions or if you have a query for us you can reach us here. Alternatively, you can use the live chat located in the bottom right-hand corner. We look forward to working with you and supporting you and your students’ goals in 2021, to accelerate learning for all.