5 Tips for Starting ELA Without Losing Your Mind This Year



The beginning of the school year brings excitement—and a lot of decisions. What to teach first? How to set the tone? When to dive into content?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the moving pieces, take a deep breath. These five teacher-tested tips will help you start the year strong—without losing your mind. And the best part? I’ve got a free download that will save you hours of planning time.


1. Plan Ahead—Before You’re in Too Deep

One of the most helpful things you can do in the first few weeks is map out a plan—even a flexible one. Knowing where you’re headed will help you stay focused when things (inevitably) get busy.

To make this part easy, I’ve created a free 20-day launch plan for your ELA class—complete with an overview calendar, learning objectives, and 21 detailed daily lesson plans.


It includes everything you need to cover the beginning-of-the-year essentials:

--- Classroom community

--- ELA skills review

--- Memoir writing unit

--- Nonfiction reading lessons

It’s fully mapped out so you can print and go—or adjust to make it your own.

👉 [Grab the free 20-day plan here.]


2. Don’t Assume They Know Everything

Even upper elementary and middle school students need a refresher on reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Starting the year with an ELA Skills Project helps set clear expectations and levels the playing field.


My 5-day skills unit makes it fun and accessible with real-world tasks like audience-based writing, mystery reading, and listening-to-draw challenges. It’s a great way to spot gaps and build confidence before jumping into bigger assignments.


3. Start Building Community on Day One

Relationships make everything easier—classroom management, collaboration, and engagement. Use the first few days to help students feel seen, heard, and safe.


Some easy wins:

--- Creative name tag activities with doodle prompts

--- A doodle syllabus

--- Games and team building activities

The more your students connect, the more they’ll be willing to take risks and participate all year long.



4. Get Them Learning—But Start Personal

You don’t need to wait weeks to dive into writing or reading. But it helps to start with content that feels personal and meaningful.


That’s why I love launching with a memoir writing unit. It encourages self-reflection, storytelling, and emotional connection—while also modeling the writing process, revising strategies, and craft moves.

Students are more likely to buy in when they’re writing about themselves.


5. Prepare for Anything (Seriously, Anything)

From assemblies to tech fails to unexpected absences, the first month can get chaotic. 


Stay sane by stocking your teaching binder with:

--- Brain Bursts (quick, engaging tasks for early finishers)

--- Exit Slips (to check understanding or spark reflection)

--- Emergency Sub Plans (print-and-go plans for those surprise sick days)

A little prep now will save you a lot of stress later.


You’ve Got This—And I’ve Got Your First 20 Days

Starting the year doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. With a solid plan, a few creative activities, and resources ready to go, you can focus on building connections and setting the tone for an amazing year.

👉 [Download the 20-Day ELA Launch Plan Here] and get back to doing what you do best—without losing your mind in the process.

Wishing you a great school year!

Mary Beth

P.S. Be sure to grab all these Back to School FREEBIES!


How to Build Classroom Community at the Beginning of the School Year



There’s a lot to think about when the school year begins. From seating charts to curriculum pacing, it’s easy to let relationship-building slip into the background. But I’ve learned that the best way to ensure a smooth, successful year is to build a strong sense of classroom community from day one.

Community isn’t created with one lesson or activity. It grows from intentional moments layered together over time. That’s why I use a simple but powerful approach: start small, stay consistent, and build with purpose. Here are the three things I always do to create a positive classroom culture during the first days, weeks, and months of school.


Day One: Creative Name Tags That Speak for Themselves

On the very first day of school, when students walk into the room, I want them to feel welcome, calm, and seen. Instead of jumping into a long list of rules or expectations, I invite them to ease in with something creative. That’s why I place a colorful name tag template on each desk before the day begins. (Download for FREE here.)


This is more than just a label. It’s a simple, student-centered activity that invites expression and creativity. Students write their names in bold letters, then respond to nine fun and personal doodle prompts like "doodle a word that describes you" or "draw something you love to do in your free time."

Some examples of the prompts include:

  • - Doodle a word that describes you (use creative lettering)

  • - Fill the box with stars for your age

  • - Draw something you enjoy doing in your free time

It’s engaging, low-pressure, and tells me so much about who they are. While students work, I can take attendance, greet late arrivals, and ease into the day. (If you'd like it, you can grab it here for FREE!)



Week One: Back-to-School Activities That Build Connection

Once we make it through the first day, I focus on keeping the momentum going with short, thoughtful activities that continue to build trust and relationships. Each day during the first week, I include one or two low-stress community-building activities that help me learn more about my students and help them feel more connected to one another.



Some of my favorite activities include:

  • - About Me Mini-Books – Structured spaces for students to share their interests, goals, and personality

  • - Student Checklists – Fun "All About Me" checklists that help students reflect on who they are

  • - Teacher Predictions – Students write guesses about me before I reveal a few surprises

  • Quick Writing Prompts – Creative topics like “If I were an emoji, I’d be…” or “One thing I love about school is…”

Check out all my favorite back to school activities with community building twists HERE.



All Year: Quote Posters and Meaningful Community Activities

After the first few weeks, I start adding deeper layers to our classroom culture by introducing quote posters and reflection-based community activities. These visual anchors not only decorate the classroom, but also reinforce the values we want to see in action.



Each poster focuses on a key theme such as kindness, hope, gratitude, acceptance, or service. Alongside each quote, I introduce an interactive activity that invites students to engage with the message in a meaningful way. For example:

  • - Kindness – Students create speech bubbles filled with kind words and post them around the classroom

  • - Hope – Students write four hopeful statements and contribute to a class “Chain of Hope”

  • - Gratitude – Students write postcards to someone they are grateful for

  • - Acceptance – Students go on a “commonality hunt” to discover what they share with their classmates

  • - Acts of Kindness – Students complete three small acts of kindness and reflect using kindness tickets

These community-building themes give students a framework for understanding themselves and others. They also create shared experiences that strengthen the sense of belonging and purpose in the classroom.


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A Classroom Culture That Lasts

Building classroom community doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few thoughtful activities, a little structure, and a lot of heart, you can create a classroom that runs smoothly — because students trust each other and feel like they belong. You can easily build community with interactive social-emotional-learning games, too!



Be sure to grab the FREE name tags activity to get your year off to a great start!

Thanks for stopping by,
Mary Beth

P.S. If you're looking for a community building impact that makes a great display (like for Open House), these Positive Pennant Flags are amazing!






What to Include in Your First Day of School Slideshow (With Free Download!)


*** Looking for a done-for-you welcome presentation for the first day of school? Scroll down for a free editable slideshow + teacher guide! ***

The first day of school sets the tone for everything — classroom culture, routines, expectations, and connection. But with so much to cover (and only so much time), it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

Enter: the first day of school slideshow — a simple, effective way to welcome your students, introduce yourself, and start building your classroom community.

A great first day slideshow helps set the tone for your classroom community while making students feel welcomed and informed. It doesn’t have to be long — just thoughtful, clear, and full of connection.


Here’s a helpful way to organize it:

About Me: Your Teacher

Use this time to show students that you’re human — someone who genuinely cares about their success. Let them get to know you beyond your role as a teacher.

What to include:

➤ A short intro: who you are, where you’ve taught, and how you got here

➤ Why you love teaching (or this subject/grade!)

➤ A few of your favorite things — books, hobbies, pets, snacks, etc.

➤ What you were like at their age — students love this!


About Us: Our Classroom

This is where you share what students can expect from your class — in content, behavior, and structure. Keep it warm and positive.

What to include:

➤ An overview of what you’ll be learning this year

➤ Teaching style: how students will learn (discussions, projects, tech, etc.)

➤ A few exciting units or crowd-favorite lessons

➤ Class values or goals (e.g., kindness, responsibility, effort)

➤ Key routines or procedures (arrival, materials, transitions)


Policies & Procedures

It’s important to set clear expectations early, but in a way that’s accessible and calm — especially on Day 1.

What to include:

➤ Attendance and tardiness

➤ Homework and late work

➤ Technology use

➤ Bathroom and hallway routines

➤ Grading basics and communication

Pro tip: Keep this part short and student-centered. Focus on what they need to know today to feel confident and safe.


About You: The Students

Encourage students to reflect on what kind of learner, classmate, and person they want to be this year. This part can be interactive or simply affirming.

What to include or prompt:

➤ “What do you want to get better at this year?”

➤ “What does being a great teammate look like?”

➤ “What are your goals for yourself in this class?”

➤ Tips for success: ask questions, be curious, give effort, stay kind


To prevent your slideshow from feeling like a lecture, here are a few teacher-tested ways to make it interactive:

* Play music as students enter — keep it upbeat and welcoming

* Show a photo of yourself at their age — let students guess your hobbies

* Ask quick check-in questions — thumbs-up if you’re nervous, snap if you love reading

* Say a “magic word” like “prepared” — when you say it, students rotate seats or clap once

* Let students sketch or doodle on index cards — what did they learn about you?


Want to skip the formatting and focus on connecting with your students?

Good news: I’ve already made the first day of school welcome presentation for you...and it's FREE!

What’s Included in the Free Resource Pack:

➤ A ready-to-use slideshow with 9 meaningful slides


➤ A completely editable version so you can personalize as much (or as little) as you want


➤ A teacher guide with slide-by-slide talking points and time-saving tips


👉 Click here to download the Welcome Presentation Pack
(Yes, it’s 100% free — because your time is valuable and summer should be sweet.)




Bonus: More First Week of School Tools for Teachers

Looking to prep more and plan less? 


Check out the full Back-to-School Toolkit — everything you need to make the first week of school smooth, fun, and totally prepped:

✔️ Open House Form Pack
✔️ Editable Syllabus Template
✔️ Student Info Cards
✔️ First Homework Assignment
✔️ Bulletin Board Quick-Start Kit
✔️ First Week of ELA Lesson Plans

👉 Get the full Back-to-School Toolkit here


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You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to have a powerful, purposeful first day.

With a thoughtful welcome presentation and a few personal touches, you can set the tone for a classroom that feels safe, connected, and full of potential.


Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. Be sure to grab this FREE Back to School resource, too!

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