Back-to-School Without the Overwhelm - 5 Steps to a Great Start!
Rethinking Icebreakers, Saving Time, and Starting Strong !
☀️ Summer’s not over yet… but we all know what’s around the corner. Back-to-school season has a way of sneaking up on us. While we’d all love to cling to those lazy summer days, now is the perfect time to set yourself up for a smooth, inspired start to the school year — without the stress spiral.
At TEACH-Interactive, we’re here to help you actually enjoy the rest of your break knowing your classroom prep is covered. This year, let’s do back-to-school differently.
Use Icebreakers… but Make Them Better
Icebreakers are a great way to help students connect, create a welcoming atmosphere, and start building classroom rapport. But here’s the thing: not all icebreakers are created equal.
Many traditional “stand up and share” activities put shy or anxious students on the spot… not exactly the recipe for building trust on Day 1. Instead, opt for low-pressure, inclusive activities that still get students talking and interacting, without the spotlight stress.
Here are a few twists to try:
Talk and Roll: In groups of 3-4, students roll the dice and answer the question they land on. Circle around and sit with different groups to get to know your students, find out what they did over the summer and how they plan on spending their year. Find it here!
Partner Puzzles: Give each student part of a picture or quote and have them find their match.
Table Talk Prompts: Put fun or thought-provoking questions at each table and let students discuss in small groups.
Silent Gallery Walk: Post images or questions around the room and have students add sticky notes with their thoughts.
💡 Skip the hours of Googling — grab our free Icebreaker Handouts from your VIP membership and get activities you can use right away.
2. Stop Scrolling, Start Creating
We’ve all been there: you open Teachers Pay Teachers to find what you need, only to leave them in your checkout cart because you’re not sure if its exactly what you want, and wether it’s worth paying for. Instead, create your own materials in minutes with our favourite EdTech tools — like Canva, Curipod, Brisk, MagicSchool AI, and more. Don’t know what these are???
Join our Back-To-School webinar for a quick overview or check out our list of EdTech tools for Teachers.
If you’re new to Canva, watch our free Canva 101 tutorial to start making beautiful, customized resources for your classroom in no time.
3. Be Ready to Teach Effectively
If you’re looking to hit the ground running and check off some professional development hours, try one of our online courses:
TESL: A Crash Course – Perfect for non-legally qualified teachers or anyone looking for a refresher. Learn how the Quebec Education Program works in real classrooms. (5 PD hours)
How to Write an LES – Build a full unit or spark your creativity with video lessons, prompts, and feedback. (5 PD hours)
Join the waitlist to be the first to know about our upcoming course: Edtech and AI for Teachers.
4. Make Learning purposeful and engaging this year! Skip the textbook… opt for an LES!
I know… some of you are thinking, “But my admin makes me use the textbook!” 😭
Here’s the thing — the start of the year is the perfect time to try out a Learning and Evaluation Situation (LES) — fancy term for FUN PROJECTS TO DO IN CLASS!
And who knows? You might even impress your admin while you’re at it!
LESs are a fun, flexible way to get students truly engaged in their learning. They often involve project-based learning, which means you can tailor the content to your students’ needs and interests.
With an LES, you can:
Foster collaboration and teamwork
Create authentic speaking opportunities
Give students choice in how they present their final product
That pretty much ticks all the “great teaching activity” boxes! ✅
Ready to give it a try? Explore our complete LESs with comprehensive teacher guides here.
5. Cut Your To-Do List in Half
Still feeling overwhelmed? You don’t have to do it alone.
Join us for our Back-to-School Webinar: Ready, Set — TEACH! Teacher Prep Rally 2025 on Thursday, August 28 | 6:00–7:30 PM (ET).
You’ll walk away with:
✅ Global planners
✅ Daily slides (joke + video + prompt)
✅ Icebreakers, games & routines
✅ Daily journal prompts
✅ Classroom management tips
✅ A positive classroom climate plan
✅ Updates on the best EdTech tools
A recording will be available for all registered participants — so even if you’re busy, you won’t miss a thing.
Let’s Make This Year the Best One Yet
The first day sets the tone for the year. With the right resources, purposeful icebreakers, and time-saving strategies, you can walk in confident, prepared, and ready to teach — without sacrificing the last precious days of summer.
We’ll see you at the webinar (or in one of our courses) — and here’s to a smooth and inspired start to the school year!
🤍 Nairy & Sophie
Teach Interactive