Ready or not, the back-to-school season is here! One of my favorite ways to get mentally prepared is by setting up my teacher planner. Whether you’re a classroom teacher or supporting multiple grades like I do, having a clear, flexible plan in place can make all the difference. As an in-class support special education teacher, my planner is my command center—it keeps me on track with meetings, services, and seasonal lessons while still leaving room to breathe.
If you haven’t picked up your teacher planner yet, act quickly! Most will fly off the shelves by early August. Then, it’ll cost you a pretty penny for slim pickings. I happened to pick my planner up for the upcoming school year from Aldi. Yup, you read that right! The Aldi teacher planners are well organized and super affordable, with prices around $8.99. They’ve been in stores since July 9th. If you’re looking to get one, today is the day!
Here’s how I set up my teacher planner for back to school—with organization tips that work for any upper elementary teacher juggling multiple moving parts!
✅ Step 1: Add Key Dates from the District Calendar
The first thing I do is plug in all the important school dates from my district calendar. These are the non-negotiables— basically anything that will impact my availability or planning. Make note of things like:
- Back-to-school professional development days
- Mandatory staff trainings
- Faculty meetings and PLCs
- Report card deadlines
- Early dismissals and scheduled IEP/data days
Having this “skeleton” filled in first gives me a realistic, at-a-glance picture of each month’s flow.. I also mark these commitments in the weekly spreads of my planner so I can see and know what’s happening daily.
📆 Step 2: Mark School Holidays + Plan Seasonal Lessons
Most planners will mark popular observed holidays (mainly federal ones). Next, I add school-specific holidays and building closures… but I don’t stop there! I also go through and jot down seasonal lesson ideas I want to integrate around those holidays. This helps me tie content into moments students are already excited about! Some of my favorites to include are:
- Constitution Day in September (and Talk Like a Pirate Day for a less serious scenario!)
- Hispanic Heritage Month activities
- Halloween-themed math and writing
- Veterans Day reflection pieces
- Winter celebrations around the world
PRO TIP: Planning these thematic lessons early keeps your teaching timely without last-minute scrambling. You can attach sticky notes to the relevant months or weeks with tentative ideas and solidify your plan as the dates get closer.
🔁 Step 3: Set a Flexible Weekly Schedule
As an in-class support teacher, I’ve learned the hard way not to get too attached to a fixed schedule—especially in the first few weeks. Instead, I draft a “preferred schedule” in pencil and give myself plenty of space to adjust.
Here’s how I stay organized while staying flexible:
- I block off potential service times for each grade level
- I leave blank space to note weekly schedule shifts
- I document changes in real-time so I can reflect and revise
Remember: Being fluid is part of being effective, especially when supporting multiple classrooms with unique needs. Stay flexible!
📝 Step 4: Use Planner Space for IEPs, Parent Communication & Checklists
This is where your planner becomes more than just a calendar. It becomes a hub for student support… at least mine does! Here’s what I include:
- IEP meeting reminders using student initials only (because privacy matters!)
- A section for parent contact info—many planners include this, but I actively use it to jot down phone numbers, preferred contact methods, and dates I reach out
- Custom checklists for goals like tracking accommodations, communication logs, or progress monitoring
This setup helps me advocate for students while staying on top of key responsibilities. It also keeps me organized with most of what I need in one conveniently located place.
✨ Bonus: Plan for “Teacher Life” Too!
It’s important to note I do not write anything personal in my teacher planner in the event it gets lost, stolen, or subpoenaed. I do always carve out a little planner space for what I call “essential teacher life”—you know, the non-instructional stuff that keeps the classroom running smoothly. Things like:
- Supply runs
- Emails to follow up on
- Classroom wishlist notes
- PD sessions or books I want to check out
- Reminders (because we’re human, too!)
It’s easy to overlook these to-dos, but including them helps me feel more balanced.
📚 Your Teacher Planner = Your Teaching Lifeline!
Setting up your Back-to-School teacher planner might feel like a lot, but I promise it’s well worth it! The time you spend organizing now pays off tenfold once the year is in full swing. Whether you’re using a paper planner, a digital calendar, or a combo of both—what matters most is finding a system that works for YOU.
ACTIONABLE STEPS: Share your tips in the comments below or tag me on Instagram—I’d love to see how you’re getting prepped and ready to support students this school year!
- Do you use a teacher planner to map out your school year?
- Are you more of a digital calendar person?
- What are your must-haves when setting up your planner?
