Summer is over...

Summer is over and a new school year has begun. It's been two weeks since I started working after the holidays and this week was the first week of school with the pupils. Which means I haven't had the time or energy to read anything for two weeks... but this morning I took the time since I woke up by myself at 7:00.

The book I chose to read this morning - of the books I'm reading/listening to right now - was A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, which is the third book in the series. So far I've read the first part of the book and I'm thinking of starting the second part after breakfast.

But before that, I just need to let off some steam...

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To all the teachers who like to read in your spare time - How do you manage your life when school starts after the summer holidays?

I personally feel like I'm drowning in work and that I never finish what needs to be done. I've been working overtime more or less every day for the past two weeks and when I get home I'm completely exhausted. There's material to be planned/created, printed and laminated - teaching materials to be distributed and ordered as there isn't enough for our new fourth graders - subject plans to be created and published digitally - coming up with lesson plans in subjects where we don't have enough teaching materials - preparing for the parent-teacher conference next week, etc.

The list is long and new things are added all the time...

This school year I am a mentor to a class in grade 4 and teach the following subjects:

• Mathematics

• Swedish - new since VFU

• English - new since VFU

• Art - has no education in the subject

• Science and Technology - in two of our three fourth graders

So I haven't taught Swedish and English since I had my VFU (translates to work-based education in Swedish), which is more than four years ago, and I have no education in Art except from my own time in elementary school, which I barely remember.

It's a big change from teaching in preschool and only Science and Technology in one of the three fourth graders last year... So yes, you could say I'm drowning a bit, but I'm trying to convince myself that it's just these first few weeks that's going to bo this chaotic. Regardless, I'll make it work.

Please share if you have any tips or ideas that might make a teacher's everyday life easier at the start of school.