Back-to-School 2024: Essential Tips & Resources for Educators

The new school year is here! It’s that time when we shift gears from vacation mode—after enjoying road trips, dips in the pool, and spending time in nature—back into a productive routine. While it may be tough to leave the summer behind, the next few months of classroom engagement and student growth will make next summer even more rewarding.

To ensure a smooth transition into the new school year, planning ahead is essential. Below, you'll find tips to help you organize for going back to school, along with exciting content from ChatterHigh that will make your classroom experience engaging and impactful.

Tips for a Smooth Back to School Transition

As educators, staying organized is key to maximizing time and energy. Here are some practical tips to help you start the school year on the right foot:

1. Plan Ahead: Planning ahead not only provides a clear picture of your workload, but also helps avoid unexpected barriers. Consider these strategies:
   • Create a Calendar: Create a calendar view of your lesson plans and classroom activities to gain clarity on your workload and the time required to accomplish those tasks. 
   • Detailed Checklist: Develop a checklist of tasks you want to accomplish in the first few weeks of school. A broader checklist for upcoming tasks can be referenced weekly to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
2. Set Due Dates: Assign due dates for tasks and set smaller milestones for large projects. Reward yourself as you reach these goals to avoid burnout.
3. Use Organizational Resources: Planners or daily reminder apps can help you stay on track and maintain organization.
4. Prioritize Tasks: Rank your assignments from most to least important, and tackle the most critical ones first.
5. Reduce Distractions: Identify potential distractions and develop a plan to minimize them, keeping your focus on the task at hand.
6. Encourage Classroom Organization: Work with students to improve organizational skills. Emphasize the importance of staying organized and make it a collaborative effort.

Engaging Content to Kickstart the School Year

As you plan your lessons, you might wonder how to keep students motivated and engaged. Don’t worry—we’ve partnered with organizations across Canada to bring interactive, educational content to your classroom. These resources will not only engage your students, but also prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

Interactive Quizzes

ChatterHigh’s gamified learning platform is designed to boost student engagement while building vocational identity and awareness around career pathways. Our Mindful Modules cover essential topics such as Financial Literacy, Health, Wellness & Safety, and more. The Daily Quiz introduces students to various careers and professional pathways, helping them envision their futures.

Visit our courses page to explore all available courses and modules that you can integrate into your lesson plans to enhance classroom engagement.

Exciting Competitions

This year, we’re launching a series of regional and national competitions in collaboration with organizations across Canada. These competitions are tailored to enhance students’ knowledge while developing soft skills critical for their future success.

Students will have the opportunity to compete for cash prizes and boost school pride while learning. The competitions are a perfect mix of knowledge, fun, and engagement—just what every classroom needs to spark curiosity and meaningful conversations.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming:

• Learn About Your Taxes Competition: We are excited to be working with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to offer Canadian students and teachers a competition based on seven gamified courses designed to boost tax literacy and confidence. 
• Let’s Talk Careers: In partnership with Let’s Talk Science, Skills Canada, NGen, Quantum AI, and NAV CANADA, this competition engages students in career discovery and helps them make connections between school, post-secondary education, and the world of work.

We also hold regional competitions for various provinces and districts. For more details on upcoming competitions, visit our competitions page. Don’t miss our blog, “Exciting Competitions to Boost Classroom Engagement in 2024,” to learn why you should incorporate these opportunities into your classroom.

Fun Classroom Activity

With your classroom plan in place, why not start the year with a fun icebreaker? Ask your students to share their career interests and use ChatterHigh’s Daily Quiz as a brain teaser before each class. This activity not only energizes students but also helps them discover careers they may not have considered.

As the semester progresses, revisit these interests and discuss any changes. This reflective exercise fosters meaningful conversations with students and their parents, making career exploration a collaborative effort.

How to Get Started with ChatterHigh

Ready to integrate ChatterHigh into your classroom? Start by creating an account or logging in if you already have one. Explore the teacher’s dashboard, create your classes, and familiarize yourself with the platform. For more detailed guidance, check out our article, “A Quick Guide to Your ChatterHigh Journey.”

Teacher Support

We’re here to support you throughout the school year with engaging content and helpful resources. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our School Support Coordinator, Zoe, is always ready to help you integrate ChatterHigh into your lesson plans and curriculum. 

Let’s make back-to-school 2024 a year of growth, learning, and excitement in the classroom!