Planning Ahead for the New Academic Year

Exam results are finally out – and before you know it the start of the new academic year will be upon us. But with only a week of the holiday still to go, it’s a good idea to start planning ahead for the start of term.

Rest, Recuperation and Recharge

First things first, what we’re not advocating in any way here is that you should be working solidly over the next week; far from it.

Hopefully, by now you’ve had adequate time to recharge the old batteries. And if you haven’t, you still need to. Probably the best preparation for a new academic year is to be fully refreshed and recharged.

Reflect on Last Year

Now the dust has settled, it’s worth reflecting on how things went last year with all your classes.

You will obviously need to look very closely at any exam groups you had and once you know their results, it makes sense to do all the analysis as soon as you can. You can guarantee that you will be asked questions about it come September, so this is another way you can stay one step ahead. Get yourself prepared!

Set Goals

Think about what you want to achieve in the next academic year and how you are going to get to where you want to be.

It’s always good to have something to aim for. It will keep you focused and on track.

Planning

Hopefully, you will already have your timetable for September. If you have, it is well worth getting lessons for first couple of weeks planned now. This will make the start of the new term much easier to handle.

It’s also a good idea to look at your timetable and work out a marking schedule that fits in with it. Keeping on top of marking can be really difficult if you approach it in a haphazard way.

Plan Your ‘Me Time’ From September

Self-care often goes out of the window once you are back into the thick of things. You owe it yourself, your loved ones and your students to look after Number One throughout the year.

That might mean planning a night off in the week; booking holidays or weekends away, going to the gym, or spending more time with the kids. It doesn’t matter what it is, just as long as it’s something that will be good for your wellbeing.

The fastest way to burnout is to not look after yourself, so you should think carefully about how you are going to do so from Day 1 in September and set yourself some ‘New Term Resolutions’.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the key to success in the new term is to stay one step ahead. Things are likely to come thick and fast once September comes. And if we’re being honest, it doesn’t really let up for the rest of the year.

That’s why planning ahead to stay ahead is so important.