Reset and refocus: Seven Practical Tips to Start Term 3 Strong

As Term 3 rolls around, teachers across Australia and New Zealand are often caught between two feelings: Relief from finally being able to catch their breath, and anticipation to gearing up to dive right back in.

However, with a little bit of planning and a few thoughtful tweaks, you can head into Term 3 feeling grounded and ready. Here are seven practical tips to help set yourself and your students up for a fun, successful term.

1. Reflect, Don’t Redo

Before jumping into the new term, take a moment to look back. What routines worked well last term? What lessons landed with your class? Keep what’s working and just tweak the parts that feel clunky. Perhaps jotting down some notes in your teacher planner[JM1]  or having a conversation with a colleague can really help you to clarify the next steps.

2. Block Out the Busy Weeks

Parent-teacher interviews, report prep, athletics carnivals… Term 3 fills up pretty quickly. Pop those key dates into your planner now so that you can space things out and avoid burnout for you and your students. If you know a busy week is coming up, plan some lighter lessons or batch your lesson prep ahead of time.

3. Refresh Your Classroom

You definitely do NOT need a full makeover, but a quick refresh can work wonders. Try decluttering a corner, updating your displays, or even changing up the seating arrangements. It’s a great way to reenergise the space and your students will notice, too.

4. Set Goals with Students

The start of a new term is the perfect time to reset expectations and help students set fresh new goals. If you use Createl student diaries[JM2] , you can refer to the goal setting and motivation pages in them for some extra help. Whether they are working on a reading target, wanting to build their social skills, cut back on screen time, or aiming to improve their focus, a simple class discussion can go a long way in creating a sense of ownership and motivation.

5. Revisit Routines

After school holidays, it is pretty common that students will need reminders about classroom routines, expectations, and how things work. Instead of waiting for issues to pop up, use week 1 to gently re-teach your systems. Whether the rules are around things like group work, tech use, or whatever else your class may need, it is a worthwhile investment of time and energy. Plus, it will set the tone for the term ahead.

6. Plan for Your Own Downtime

Term 3 can be relentless, so it’s important to protect and set aside some time just for you. Choose a couple of afternoons or a weekend and block it out right now. I’m serious, do it now! You don’t have to do all the things, all the time. A little space to rest and reset makes a huge difference in the long run.

7. Stay Connected

Check in with your colleagues to see how they’re coping. The chances are that if things are feeling a bit overwhelming for you, your colleagues are probably feeling it, too. A quick chat in the staffroom, exchanging lesson ideas or even just taking the time to plan together can make a huge difference. You aren’t in this alone, and your team is one of your best resources, no matter how experienced you are.

At the end of the day, you don’t need to be perfect all the time. Heading into Term 3 with a few plans in place and a clear sense of what’s most important is more than enough. Give yourself some credit for all of the work you have already done.

You’ve got this.

Here’s to a productive and balanced Term 3!