217. 3 Things to Do Before Students Arrive and After They Leave on the First Day

We want you to think of your back-to-school experience as a sandwich (stick with us here!). That first day with students is the flavorful filling, but the real secret to a successful start is what happens before and after. In this episode, we’re sharing our Back to School Sandwich framework filled with first day of school teacher tips to help you prepare emotionally and logistically, protect your energy, and recover with intention!

Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/first-day-of-school-tips/

Resources:

• Join the Teacher Approved Club!
• Freebie: Cheers and Chat Invitation
• Guided Discovery of School Tools 
• Back to School Readiness Checklists
• The Spellshop, by Sarah Beth Durst
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Teacher Approved Facebook group.
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 144, How to Plug-and-Play Your First Day of School Plans
• Episode 145, Our Best Tools for First-Day Planning
• Episode 146, Never Pick Up Another Stray Crayon: Why We Love Guided Discovery
• Episode 211, The 3 Questions Every Student Needs Answered in the First 3 Days of School
• Episode 213, 6 Simple Goals to Make Open House or Back-to-School Night a Success

Episode Transcript

Heidi (00:01):
This is episode 217 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.

Emily (00:13):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.

Heidi (00:28):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.

Emily (00:36):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are talking aboutthe back to school sandwich.
That's what happens right beforeand right after that very first
day with students. And we'resharing a suggestion for how to
wrap up your first day with alittle bit of fun.

Heidi (00:52):
But first, let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we
share a quick win that you cantry right away. Emily, what is
our suggestion this week?

Emily (01:00):
This week, try creating a teacher prep soundtrack for
yourself. Put together aplaylist of songs that energize
you and make you feel confident,whether it's upbeat pop or
calming instrumental music orthrowback hits that make you
smile. Having a go-to playlistcan be a game changer when
you're setting up yourclassroom.

Heidi (01:18):
Music really can shift your whole mood and energy
level. Plus, if you are feelinggood while you're working, that
positive energy carries overinto everything you create for
your students and theirfamilies.

Emily (01:29):
And if you have a new playlist every year, then it
will be like when you hear thosesongs you can remember the year
that you're setting up thatclassroom. That could be a fun
idea.

Heidi (01:37):
That could be fun.

Emily (01:38):
If you like this idea, or anything else we share here on
the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating and review on Applepodcasts or Spotify?

Heidi (01:48):
Over the years, Emily and I have created an extensive
library of back to schoolproducts. To help you find the
tools that will make the startof your new year easier, today
we are spotlighting our GuidedDiscovery resource. Tell us
about this one, Emily.

Emily (02:01):
This one's one of our favorites, and we talked about
it in detail in Episode 146. Sothe short version is that Guided
Discovery is a hands on way tointroduce students to your
expectations around managing andusing school tools. So if you're
tired of smashed glue sticks andchewed pencils, this is the
resource for you.

Heidi (02:19):
Now, it's got a long name because we need it to come up in
search. So it's called theGuided Discovery of classroom
procedures and rules for schoolsupplies for back to school, but
there is a link in the shownotes if you want a shortcut.

Emily (02:32):
So in this resource, we give you a set of Google slides
and a scripted lesson plan forintroducing more than 20 common
school tools. So of course, wecover pencils and crayons and
scissors, but there's alsomaterials for dice and
clipboards and magnet lettersand Chromebooks. We tried to
really cover all the bases.

Heidi (02:50):
Yes, and you definitely don't have to do all of them,
but for any tools that you use,you will be so glad to have
this. Each lesson covers the sixparts of a Guided Discovery
activity, so that you areinviting students into the
process of establishing thestandards that they are
agreeing, hopefully, to followall year.

Emily (03:08):
And what I really love is that for each of the school
tools, there's a quick funactivity so students can
experience using that tool rightaway. So for example, if you're
introducing markers, there's asmall coloring page. For
clipboards, there's a shortaround the room scavenger hunt
so they can practice using aclipboard. Each activity is
targeted to keep thingsengaging, but also moving
Lots of o's in so. Plus, besides the lesson materials,
quickly.

Heidi (03:27):
This is one of our resources that gets the best
feedback. And here's a littleshare from Lynn, who said, "This
has been a game changer for howmy students use our classroom
materials. It is easy to assumethat kids will know how to use
pencils and erasers, but theydon't know my expectations. Now
they do, and I am so muchhappier because

(03:51):
there are a whole bunch ofresources to help you address
any hiccups down the road. Whensomeone stabs the glue with
their scissors or colors on thecarpet, there are materials just
waiting for you so you canaddress the problem right away.
So head to the show notes and grab the link for the Guided
Discovery of School Toolsresource. It will make your
whole year run smoother.

Emily (04:11):
You know, we've been talking all summer about getting
ready for back to school, and werealize that there's this one
piece we haven't reallyaddressed yet, and that's what
happens right before and rightafter the very first day with
students.

Heidi (04:24):
This time of year, it's really easy to lose yourself in
all of the thoughts aroundclassroom setup and getting your
systems ready. You likely have amillion checklists for labeling
supplies, planning procedures ororganizing desks. And of course,
those things absolutely matter.

Emily (04:39):
Yeah, but we know you know how important they are. But
often what gets overlooked isyou as the teacher. How do you
prepare yourself, bothemotionally and practically, for
that huge moment when yourclassroom goes from organized
and empty to full of real kids?What do you do with all the
nerves and energy andexpectations leading up to that

(05:01):
day?

Heidi (05:02):
And then in just seven short, or not so short, hours
after they arrive, they allleave. The door closes, the room
is quiet again, and I can feelthat moment. You're just left
standing in the whirlwind ofeverything that just happened.
And that moment deserves someattention too.

Emily (05:20):
Yeah, so today we're talking about what we're calling
the back to school sandwich. Soit's not lunch, although, yes,
definitely pack a lunch,especially on the first day
you're going to want it, but theemotional and practical layers
that surround the first day ofschool. Because just like a good
sandwich, the most importantstuff might be in the middle,
sure, but without the bread andthe toppings on either side, it

(05:42):
just it all falls apart, andit's not nearly as tasty.

Heidi (05:45):
So that first day is the filling. Stick with us here.
It's big, it's flavorful, maybeeven a little messy, but what
you do before and after iswhat's going to hold everything
together. And if you take careof those two pieces, the whole
thing is a lot more satisfyingand a lot less likely to fall
apart and stain your cute newfirst day of school outfit.

Emily (06:06):
To make your back to school sandwich as sturdy and
satisfying as possible, we'rebreaking it down into three
simple categories of teacherself-care that apply before and
after that all important firstday.

Heidi (06:17):
First is emotional prep. This is all about checking in
with yourself and making surethat you're grounded and headed
in the right direction. Next isthe logistical basics. These are
the small, practical choicesthat make a big difference to
your well being. And finally,comes your recovery plan. This
is where you create space tobreathe, reflect and regroup,

(06:38):
because the way you land mattersjust as much as how you launch.

Emily (06:41):
So let's take a look at that bottom slice of bread. What
you need to do before the firstday to set yourself up for
success. And we're gonna startwhere we always start by
identifying our purpose.

Heidi (06:52):
Yes, it is so easy to get lost in the busyness that comes
with back to school. That's howwe end up running ourselves
ragged, but somehow we stilldon't feel prepared, even though
we're working nonstop. To combatthis, we're going to take a
couple of minutes to figure outwhat matters. First, stop and
reflect on what kind of teacheryou want to be this year. Think

(07:12):
about the parts of teaching thatbring you joy and the kind of
impact you hope to have on yourstudents.

Emily (07:17):
A great addition to this exercise is setting a one word
theme to guide your year. Maybeit's steady or wonder or grace
or joy, just one word that youcan come back to when things get
overwhelming. You can write iton a sticky note and put it
somewhere where you will see itevery day.

Heidi (07:34):
We talked about choosing a one word theme back in episode
27 if you want to go back intime and revisit that. But we
also have some guiding questionsin our back to school readiness
checklist, if you want a pagethat's already all set up to
collect all of your thoughts.

Emily (07:48):
While you're in that reflective space, the readiness
checklist resource also has agoal setting page, plus some
more pages specifically focusedon teacher prep, like a page for
listing what you're letting goof, writing yourself permission
slips, and writing a quick noteof encouragement to yourself.
You can print it and stick it inyour plan book, your desk
drawer, or even just take ascreenshot and set it as your

(08:09):
phone lock screen.

Heidi (08:10):
Oh, and set a reminder to take a photo of your classroom
once it's all set up. You'veworked so hard to get it ready,
celebrate the moment before thekids come in and mess it all up.

Emily (08:20):
Now, let's talk about prepping your personal launch
plan. You have to remember totake care of the human behind
the teacher. So map out whatyour ideal morning looks like on
that first day. When will youwake up? What will you eat? What
music will help you feelgrounded?

Heidi (08:34):
With that vision in mind, what can you do in advance to
make morning smoother? Maybepack your lunch, lay out your
clothes, fill your teacher bagand get your own kids' backpacks
ready the night before. Everylittle step you can do ahead of
time helps.

Emily (08:48):
We shared lots of good tips for this back in episode
209 so give that a listen if youwant a refresher. But another
handy suggestion is to stock adesk drawer or a cabinet with
your survival essentials. Youmay want to set up a day one
emergency kit with things liketissues, band aids, lozenges and
extra snacks that you want tohave handy on the first day.

Heidi (09:08):
Yeah, in the first couple days of school, there just is
not a lot of wiggle room if yourcontact lens gets dirty, or you
get a stomach ache, you're kindof stuck. So make sure you have
on hand anything that you don'twant to be caught without.

Emily (09:22):
And I know we've mentioned this before, but one
of the best gifts you can giveyourself is not working late on
the first day. So for that tohappen, you need to prepare day
two at the same time that youprepare day one. We promise it's
not as tricky as it sounds.Episodes 144, 145, and 146 walk
you through exactly how tostreamline your first day of
school plans and extend thatprocess through the first week.

Heidi (09:45):
Think how happy you will be at the end of that first day,
to waltz out of the school at3:30 and have a long, relaxing
evening ahead of you. But youknow, first we need to make sure
that that evening is actuallyrelaxing.

Emily (09:58):
Start by deciding how you're going to transition when
students leave. Will you sitquietly for five minutes, text a
friend, take a walk around thebuilding? Have a plan so you're
not left floundering. And if youwant a fun idea, make sure to
listen to the end of theepisode, because we have a fun

Heidi (10:15):
Next create a cozy landing zone at home, pillows,
tip to share.
snacks, soft lighting yourfavorite show all queued up.
Everything you need to reallyrelax. Stock the recovery kit we
talked about in episode 209.Make it easy to take it easy.
Need that on a shirt.

Emily (10:31):
Yeah. Also make an intentional plan for how you can
minimize demands for a few days.Maybe your kids get extra screen
time for the first week ofschool. Maybe you're getting
more takeout than you normallydo, and that's totally okay. The
start of the school year is justa season. It's not your whole
life.

Heidi (10:47):
Alright. That is the before the first day of school
bread slice. That's a sentence Inever imagined saying. Make time
to reflect on what you want tohave happen, prepare for your
personal launch, and set up yourrecovery plan.

Emily (11:04):
So next comes the filling, but we have spent all
summer covering the middle ofthis sandwich—lesson plans,
community building, classroomsetup and so much more. If you
need some ideas, make sure toscroll back to some of our past
summer episodes in your podcastfeed.

Heidi (11:18):
And now we can talk about the top slice of bread, what to
do after you make it throughthat first day. We'll follow the
same pattern as we did before,of figuring out your emotional
prep, your logistical basics andthen your recovery plan.

Emily (11:31):
Once the students leave, take five minutes to jot down
what went well, what didn't, andwhat you want to try differently
tomorrow. Celebrate small wins,even if the win is I made it
through or I remember fivenames. Even small
accomplishments deserve to becelebrated.

Heidi (11:46):
And there is also a sheet for this in the back to school
readiness checklist. We reallyhave thought of everything. So
grab that if you don't have italready.

Emily (11:54):
I always say we overthink things so that you don't have
to. So you also want to set areminder in your phone to take a
photo of your classroom afterthe students leave. Notice how
it's already changed becauseyour students were there.
There's something beautiful,really about seeing that
transformation.

Heidi (12:12):
Once you've had a moment to recover and reflect, focus on
the logistics of getting day twoset up. Hopefully you have had a
chance to prepare most of thematerials in advance. If not, do
whatever you can to make themorning of the second day flow
as easily as possible. Yes, Iknow you are so tired right now,
but you will probably still bethat tired in the morning.

Emily (12:33):
A suggestion that might help us to plan one easy win for
day two. So maybe it's afavorite read aloud, a simple
game, or even showing a 15minute video. Focus on teaching
your essential procedures andactivities to build your class
community, and you'll have allthe important stuff covered.

Heidi (12:49):
As you're wrapping up your work day, do what you can
to protect your energy. It'stotally okay to skip the chatty
teachers lounge or to say, Ineed to recharge, I'll catch up
with you tomorrow. It's okay tobe smart about your limits, even
if that teacher across the hallmight not understand.

Emily (13:04):
Once you've cleaned up day one, and set up day two, and
finally made it back to yourfront door, it's time to recover
with intention. So treatyourself the way you would treat
a tired toddler. Eat somethingcomforting, take a warm bath if
you like a bath, go to bedearly. You've just done
something incredibly hard, andyou deserve that kindness.

Heidi (13:24):
Use that recovery kit you prepped, or start one now. Put
on jammies as soon as you'rehome, do a puzzle, read a book,
watch a movie, get out ofcoloring a book. Prioritize the
things that give you the spaceto bounce back.

Emily (13:36):
Or if you've got a totally different personality,
maybe you want to hit the gym,re-energize with a night out, or
start a brand new project. Thisis not our journey, but we love
that for you.

Heidi (13:48):
Whatever type of recovery you need is the right choice.
And like we mentioned earlier,give yourself permission to
lower the bar at home. Use paperplates. Let everyone zone out on
their devices for a while. Orderdinner without guilt. You're not
letting things slide. You'rebeing strategic when your energy
is so limited.

Emily (14:06):
If you are someone with a tough inner critic, this can be
hard to accept, but really, thebest thing you can do during a
stressful time is to giveyourself grace. Nothing good
comes from making yourself feelguilty for not meeting some
random standard of perfection.Beating yourself up won't
suddenly give you more energy.So be kind to yourself and
accept that this is a normalpart of such a huge transition.

Heidi (14:28):
I wish I had understood this back when I was teaching.

Emily (14:30):
I know.

Heidi (14:31):
I was, I would really beat myself up about not having
it together. But you know whatthis is, just a few days, you
will figure it out, and thingswill get back to normal, we
promise.

Emily (14:41):
Plus, I think most people don't have it together. We
assume everyone else has ittogether. I think nobody has it
together. And just remember thefirst day of school is just one
day in a whole year of teaching,but it can feel so big and
overwhelming. So remember thatthe real magic happens in how
you prepare yourself, not justyour classroom, and how you take
care of yourself after.

Heidi (15:02):
We would love to hear your tips for what to do before
and after the first day. Comejoin the conversation in our
Teacher Approved Facebook group.

Emily (15:10):
Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where
we share an actionable tip tohelp you elevate what matters
and simplify the rest. Thisweek's teacher approved tip is
to wrap up the first day ofschool was some fun. So tell us
what you have in mind, Heidi.

Heidi (15:23):
Oh, I'm so excited about this, I'm doing little hand
claps. That's probably terriblefor the audio. Oh, but this is a
fun one. Now, as you know, thefirst day of school leaves most
of us just running on pureadrenaline. Once the kids leave,
it's so easy to either divestraight into day two prep or
get stuck in one of those neverending hallway conversations
that somehow just suck your willto live.

Emily (15:45):
Yeah, that's why I love your idea of a quick cheers and
chat check in with your gradelevel team, or maybe your
teacher friends. It's juststructured enough to feel
special and meaningful, but it'slight enough that it won't
hijack your whole afternoon orrequire a lot of your energy.

Heidi (16:02):
So here's how to make it work. First, decide your goal.
Are you looking to debrief theday, share a few laughs, or just
celebrate that you survived?Decide if you are hosting in
your classroom or somewhere elsein the school, and then pick
your timing. I would recommendright after dismissal, because
you want to grab everyone beforethey scatter to start prepping
for tomorrow.

Emily (16:22):
Then decide if you're doing this with your grade level
team, just your teacher besties,or the whole staff. Keep the
refreshments simple, but alittle special. Grab some
sparkling cider, a fun mix sodaor even chocolate milk if that's
your vibe. Don't plan onsomething like donuts or muffins
that will require an extraerrand before school, because we
want this to be painless, notadding to your crazy first

(16:44):
morning of school.

Heidi (16:45):
Oh, yeah, absolutely not. And the nice thing about
limiting it to a drink is youcan pick it up from the store
weeks in advance, and it isreally easy to make things a
little more special withsomething as simple as those
dollar store champagne flutes.

Emily (16:58):
Yeah, and nobody wants a bunch of extra work at the start
of the school year, sodisposable champagne flutes for
the win. The next step is tosend out an invitation a few
days in advance so it doesn'tget lost in the back to school
chaos. Clearly promise that itwill be very quick or people
will not be excited to attend.

Heidi (17:16):
And then once everyone arrives, literally, set a timer
for 10 minutes, 15 minutes max.This is really important. By
setting a timer, you show thatyou understand how stressed
everyone is and that you respecttheir time.

Emily (17:29):
And your time, because you still got stuff to do, of
course.

Heidi (17:34):
Then offer one or two simple questions for everyone to
answer, something like, whatmade you smile today? Or, what
are you proud of right now? Thiskeeps things moving and makes
sure that everyone gets a chanceto share without it turning into
a whole complaint session, orwithout a few strong
personalities hijacking thewhole thing. And finally, just
wrap it up with a quick toast tothe new school year.

Emily (17:54):
It's such a simple thing, but it can transform an
exhausting afternoon into amoment of real connection and
perspective, all whileprotecting your time and energy
for getting ready for tomorrow.From time to time, we all need a
reminder that we're not in thisalone, and it's especially
important to build thoserelationships with your
coworkers.

Heidi (18:12):
If this sounds like something you would be
interested in doing, we have alittle freebie for you. We give
you a step by step guide for howto organize a cheers and chat
check in, and have an editableinvitation that you can use. We
even include ideas for yourtoast to the new year and some
recipes. I'm using air quotes, afew simple recipes for some
fancy sodas.

Emily (18:33):
Well, we're from Utah, so we know a fancy soda. Okay, so
we were not gonna leave you allhanging, and we'll have a link
to this in the show notes whereyou can go grab it for free.
It's a freebie.

Heidi (18:45):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're giving
extra credit to this week.Emily, what gets your extra
credit?

Emily (18:53):
I'm giving extra credit to ice cream taste testing.

Heidi (18:53):
Well, I would like to co sign that.

Emily (18:56):
Yeah, we did this as a family recently, and it was just
so much fun. Everybody loved it.I got, I don't know, eight pints
of fun ice cream flavor. So Iwent for, like, fancier brands
or really unique flavors, andthen I got those little plastic
condiment cups, and then I put ascoop of each flavor into each
cup. But I mean by scoop, it'sprobably more like...

Heidi (19:17):
A melon baller.

Emily (19:17):
Yes, a robust spoonful. So everyone could get, you know,
maybe a couple spoonfuls out ofit, just enough to taste, and
then everyone would have a stackof cups to try. This way. I
wasn't having to, like, run backand forth scooping for each
flavor. I did all the scoopingin advance, and then put it
right back in the freezer tohold up. And then I numbered the

(19:39):
cup so that we could all try thesame one at the same time. And
then we gave it a rating out of10. I think last year we did it
out of five, but the kids wantedto do it out of ten. And then I
averaged all the scores. So ourwinner this year was Van Lewin,
which my father speaks Dutch,and he let me know I am not at
all pronouncing that correctly,but you'll forgive me. It is
their pistachio flavor, and itwas tasty and so fun. I loved

(20:03):
it, and that was a really yummyflavor.

Heidi (20:04):
Yes, I was shocked that the kids liked it.

Emily (20:05):
I thought that would be the least favorite, pistachio. I
got it because I like pistachio,and I was like, Well, I'm
getting it for me, but everybodyloved it, even the kids. It was
so good.

Heidi (20:15):
Yeah, it was really good. I've been craving it now.

Emily (20:17):
Highly recommend it. We also, in our family, celebrate a
little holiday called flavorday, which is Labor Day. But
when my youngest was younger,much younger, she thought it was
flavor day, and kept calling itflavor day. And we decided that
from henceforth it shall beknown as flavor day. And so we

(20:38):
usually go get ice cream. So ifyou would like to adopt flavor
day for your own family. I thinkan ice cream taste test would be
an excellent way to celebratethat.

Heidi (20:49):
Yes, that would be perfect.

Emily (20:49):
And this is the exact kind of thing we talk about on
our other podcast, the HolidayHeadstart. So if you want to
hear more about traditions andice cream, come on over to the
Holiday Headstart. That was anunplanned plug.

Heidi (20:58):
And we really would love to have you there. If how we
plan back to school resonateswith you, you will love how we
plan Christmas.

Emily (21:06):
Get a load of how we prepare for Christmas.

Heidi (21:09):
Oh, boy, yeah, we're not ready.

Emily (21:11):
We overthought that one too so you don't have to. What
are you giving extra credit to,Heidi?

Heidi (21:17):
I'm giving extra credit to the book The Spell Shop by
Sara Beth Durst. I think thesecond in this series just came
out recently, which I haven'tread yet, but just read the
spell shop, and it was so sweet.I love a cozy fantasy. And this
just checked all the rightboxes. The blurb on Amazon calls
it a hallmark rom com full ofmythical creatures and fueled by
cinnamon rolls and magic. And Icould not have summed it up any

(21:39):
better.

Emily (21:40):
Sign me up.

Heidi (21:41):
So I'm not sure how to pronounce this character's name.
That is the downside to fantasynovels is like, how do we say
these names? We don't know, soI'm just going to give it my
best guess. But the premise isthat librarian Kyla and her
sentient spider plant Kaz, I wascalling him Kaz, I don't know if
that's right. They escape arevolution and return to the

(22:02):
tiny island where Kyla grew up.Her goal is to build a life
while at the same time hidingthe forbidden magic books that
she saved from the burninglibrary. And so she ends up
opening a jam shop that justhappens to sell spells on the
side. And of course, along theway, she learns that life is
better when you have otherpeople to trust. It's very sweet
and imaginative. If you'relooking for something to escape

(22:23):
into, like after a long firstday of school, it's just the
perfect little getaway intoimagination.

Emily (22:30):
Oh, I love it. I'm putting on my TBR right now.

Heidi (22:34):
That is it for today's episode. Remember to prep your
back to school sandwich. Takecare of yourself before, during
and after that first day. Youhave got this and we are
cheering you on every step ofthe way.

Emily (22:46):
And don't forget to grab our cheers and chat freebie from
the link in the show notes.

Heidi (22:53):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.

Emily (22:57):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.

Heidi (23:04):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.

Emily (23:10):
Bye.