How to prepare for the start of the school year in kindergarten?

Knowing how to prepare for your first day of school in kindergarten as a beginner teacher is the key to a smooth return to school. Hachette Éducation supports you for this important stage of your career and reveals its 4 key steps.

Being  a beginning teacher means facing the doubts and anxiety associated with first times. You may be wondering  how to prepare for your first day of school in kindergarten  !

1 – Information to collect to prepare for the start of the school year

Knowing your assignment for the start of the school year gives you a taste of what to expect. But it is also an opportunity to get the information that will allow you to  prepare for the upcoming school year .

As part of your first year as a primary school teacher, this step may seem terrifying. How can you  effectively prepare  to manage children who are starting in the first year of primary school?

Once you have all this information, you can prepare your call list, which is mandatory and lists the parents’ contact details; as well as a student assessment document to list the  skills to be acquired throughout the year .

2 – Take possession of your classroom and arrange it

Because you’ll be spending your days there for an entire school year, it’s important that you spend some time in what will become your  classroom .

Check the furniture, list the equipment already present, rummage through the drawers, cupboards, count the tables and chairs. Don’t hesitate to analyze everything to see if you have  what you need for the start of the school year , if necessary send the head of the establishment a list of what you need!

3 – Prepare to welcome kindergarten children

A first day back at school is difficult for children (and quite stressful for a  new school teacher ). That’s why you must not lose sight of your primary objective:  to reassure  and  reassure  the children.

Throughout their  first day in nursery school , you will have to make sure that they feel comfortable with you in class. Separating from their parents can be very difficult for some and you will have to spend time with those who have the most difficulty to reassure them. Specify as many times as necessary that parents  always come back  to pick up their children from school!

4 – What activities should be planned for the first day of school?

Separation from parents can be difficult, it is possible that you will have a little trouble getting the full attention of some children. The start of the first year of kindergarten is an important step, but by focusing on  fun activities  you can motivate them and give them confidence.

A song or a game to get to know each other

It is also during the first day of school that the first bonds with your students will be formed  . You can encourage them to introduce themselves with a song like  Ohé du bateau…   or ask them to draw themselves, alone and then with their family.

A moment of exchange

Understanding what children expect from the year and whether they know why they are there can be very enriching for you. If you already know the program for the next few days, this is the perfect time to announce it to the children!

A motor skills session or a moment of plastic production

Still with the aim of discovering which students are already able to  follow instructions  and which have more difficulty, you can offer them a dance game with instructions. For example, you have the famous dance “  Jean Petit qui danse”.