Back to School

August and September bring much excitement with “Back to School”. Teachers, parents, and students are all gearing up for the start of a new school year and getting back to routines. For many, “Back to School” night at schools are the first opportunity to make impressions - for students, teachers, and parents. These nights can really set the tone for the upcoming school year. Darri Stephens, Senior Director of Education Content for Common Sense Education, writes of “three tried-and-true tenets for a successful Back-to-School Night”. In her recent article, “Back-to-School Night: The Ultimate Conversation Starter for a Successful School Year”, Stephens encourages teachers to do three things: 

• Be transparent - Have a common language and explain your thinking
• Be direct - Invite parents into the classroom and set expectations for students
• Be consistent - Stay true to your rules and keep parents informed

Back to School Night provides a great opportunity to establish parent partnerships that will ultimately lead to student success throughout the year.

You can get more from Common Sense Education by visiting Graphite in Pepper’s Resource Library. To read more about this awesome resource, you can also check out this recent blog post from July 25, Graphite: Tools for the Digital Classroom.

Be sure to check out all our Pepper course offerings.

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Kick Off the New School Year--Fun Ideas to Get Off to a Good Start!

In some parts of the country, students have been back in the classroom for several weeks, while for others, the new academic year is just beginning. To help get you started, check out these articles, posts, and pins, and get inspired for the new school year! Make sure to remember not to lose sight of your own professional and personal development in the midst of the many demands and excitement of the new year.

Check out this Education World post on "Fun Activities to Get the School Year Off to a Good Start." Pick up some great ideas to help you set the tone in your classroom this year!

Take a look at this great article from Edutopia.org, and start "Preparing for your Best Year Ever"! The first tip on the list? "Dive deep into your own professional learning." Take advantage of the amazing professional development that Pepper has to offer!

Finally, just for fun, head to Pinterest.com for a fantastic collection of "Back to School Teaching Ideas"--you can find resources, materials, and fun activities for your students!

Good luck, and have a great year!