What to Do Your First Week of Class: A New Semester Checklist

Maybe for some of you, the new school year has already started. For me, I still have another couple of weeks to prepare. The thing I go back to each new semester is my “New Semester Checklist.” Whether you’re a first-time ESL teacher or a veteran one, you can go through this new semester checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need to start your semester off right!

Get rosters or name lists from your school. 

            If you can get these before you walk into class for the first time, that’s a plus. It will help you anticipate how many students will be in the class and will help you take attendance for the first time (especially since you might not have met these students before.) 

Print rosters out.

            The reason I print these out is that usually these rosters contain the student’s ID number and the student’s name in his native language. In my ESL classroom, we go by English names. So, I’ll print out the sheet and pass it around on the first day for everyone to write their English names next to their ID numbers/real names. This not only helps me make sure I’ve got the spelling right, but it also helps me avoid any mistakes when I’m submitting final grades in a system that only uses ID numbers/real names. 

Make attendance sheets for each class to track attendance.

            Once I’ve got my students’ names, I add them into my attendance chart. There’s a simple square for each student for each class, where I can mark if students were present, absent, late, etc. Having this on the first day really streamlines and organizes my attendance process!

Print attendance sheets.

            Print them out so you can use them on the first day. Duh.

Tip: Check with your school about attendance tracking procedures. Some schools might want you to submit these records at the end of the semester, whereas some schools might have an electronic tracking system so you don’t have to track their attendance at all!

Have a rough outline or syllabus of the semester’s lessons. 

            Depending on your school or your classes, you might not have that much information about what your semester might be like. (See: the word “rough.”) But I always feel better walking into class the first week with a general idea of what we are going to study throughout the semester. Not only do I feel more organized, but I also feel like I can better introduce the class and get students excited about what we’re going to cover. If you’ve got lots of information, go ahead and create a full-on syllabus!

Decide on exam or exams for each class.

            Again, you could play this by ear, depending on how much you know, but I always like to have an idea of what my exam or exam will be like. Will there be multiple exams through the semester, like a mid-term exam and final exam, or just a final exam? Will it be a written exam or spoken exam? What type of spoken exam will it be? How many class periods will I need to reserve for the exam? 

            Having this information not only helps you plan out your lesson plan schedule, but it will also provide a focus for you and your students. If students will have to listen to a recording and answer comprehension questions for the exam, they’ll need to practice different things throughout the semester to prepare them for that type of exam versus an exam where they deliver a 4-minute speech. 

Make class guides or exam guides.

            I’ve been using class guides and exam guides for about two or three years now, and I’m disappointed I didn’t think of them earlier! These are PDF guides that let the students know all the information they’ll need about the class or about an exam. For example, the class guide could include the topics that will be covered, class rules, teacher expectations for classroom behavior, late homework policies, or grading criteria. An exam guide would include what would be covered on the exam, exam requirements, or grading criteria. If you’d like a more in-depth look, check out this article all about exam guides:  https://www.atlasteaching.com/classroom/howtouseeslexamguides

Plan out homework assignments (if possible).

            If possible, I like to have an idea of what homework assignments I’ll give for each class. Pre-planning helps give a feeling of continuity and makes sure I’m getting my students to practice what I definitely want to them to practice. As I do this, I also try to go through my calendar. If I know there’s a holiday or a big, standardized test that weekend, I can plan to have easier homework or remove homework altogether. 

Decide what PPT template you’ll use for each lesson.

            Most of my lessons are once or twice a week, and I make PPTs for each lesson. If you don’t use PPTs, just skip this one, but I find this really helps future me plan lessons. When planning a lesson, sometimes the hardest part is just starting, so I go through my schedule and choose a different PPT template to use for each lesson. If the topic is music, I choose a background that’s somehow related to music, write the week number and topic on the first slide, and that’s it! It’s so simple, but it helps me to just be able to open up a PPT and be ready to go once I sit down to really plan and prepare the lesson. 

Confirm textbooks.

            Confirm. Confirm. Confirm. Confirm. I’ve lost track of the times that the school has changed the textbook at the last minute without telling me, changed the edition, or just ordered the textbooks too late for them to arrive by the first week of class. Texting the school your first week to double-check that everything is a-okay will save you the headache of walking into class to a “surprise” that first week. 

Get ahead on any required paperwork.

            This will vary from school to school, of course, but if you know of any paperwork you have to complete, you might as well do it now before the business of the semester or the exhaustion of grading final exams get to you. For example, at my current school, I have to submit all my syllabi as well as a detailed outline of what my final exam will be like. Both of those aren’t due until later, but I might as well get them done now!

Prep your grading system. 

            The way I track and record my grades is just through Excel. So, on the first week, after I’ve gotten everyone’s English names and ID numbers, I’ll add that information into my Excel document, as well as write out what areas I’ll be grading them on (attendance, participation, homework, final exam, etc.)

Go back to school shopping!

            And now for the most fun one! Don’t forget to make a quick trip to your local supply store to get everything you’ll need. Notebooks, USBs, dry erase markers—whatever you need to keep your semester rolling along smoothly. For some back to school shopping ideas, check out this article about the seven things I rebuy every semester: https://www.atlasteaching.com/classroom/backtoschooleslsupplies

Maybe you want to do these before your first week of class, to really get the ball rolling (I see you, Type-A people) or maybe you can just do them during your first week of class. Whatever the case, hopefully these ideas will help you feel ready for the start of a brand-new semester!