Back to School Prayers
Table of Contents
- Prayers for Teacher Orientation
- Prayers for Teachers Returning to School
- Prayers for First Day of School
- Back to School Prayers with Saints
- Daily Prayer for Teachers
- More Teacher Prayer Resources
Teachers and school administrators put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to plan for the return of the school year.
With all of the planning, organization, and preparation, it can be a busy time even for the most experienced educators.
Let Hallow help check off one item on your checklist with these short back to school prayers for teachers getting ready for another school year.
Enjoy these prayers for a new school year and learn how Hallow supports teachers 12 months a year.
Prayers for Teacher Orientation
Catholic schools normally include prayer in teacher orientation. Here are some simple Catholic prayers to kick off orientation grounded in prayer:
- “Heavenly Father, as we gather together to prepare for this new academic year, we ask for your blessing on all of us. May Your Spirit set our hearts ablaze with love of You–love that we can share with our students, their families and each other. Bless our planning and be with us each day.”
- “Bless us with your wisdom, O God, as we chart out the course for the upcoming school year. May our orientation today be fruitful in our efforts to mold young people in faith, competence, conscience and compassion.”
- “Lord, Your Spirit is transformative. May it inspire us today as we gather together as teachers, certainly, but as Christians as well, striving to do Your will. Embolden us to live our faith each day, in all of our interactions with students. Grant us open minds and hearts to observe the way You call us to act. Renew our strength, that we may persevere through obstacles that we will surely encounter. Bless all of our teachers, administrators, support staff and all of our families. In Your name we pray.”
Prayers for Teachers Returning to School
The final few days before orientation and the first day of school can be quite a blur. The transition from summer to school year is never perfectly smooth!
Here are short prayers for teachers who are in the midst of returning to the classroom after a much-deserved summer break.
- “Instill in us (me), dear God, patience as we (I) begin our first day of school. Patience with our (my) students, who are beginning a new grade. It’s hard growing up in today’s modern world. Help us (me) to give them the benefit of doubt and be kind even when we (I) could rightfully be angry. We (I) ask for patience too for ourselves (myself)–for adjusting back into the routine of the school year, for wearing so many different hats, with so many things needing to get done. Your work is done slowly and in ways we (I) often don’t recognize. Bless us (me) today, help us (me) remember today is the first day of many and that You’ll be with us (me) each step of the way.”
- “Father, strengthen my faith in You this school year. My faith in You gives me peace–a peace that allows me to look past my own personal challenges during the school day and give fully to my students and their many needs. Amen.”
- “Soon, O Lord, a new school year will begin and I will once again encounter moments where I feel like there is more being asked of me than I can provide. In these instances, help me to pause, breathe deeply, and feel Your loving arms embracing me and supporting me. With You, no challenge is too big. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.”
- Father, Pope Francis reminds us that “Education is an act of love that illuminates the path for us to recover a sense of fraternity, so we will not ignore those who are most vulnerable.” This school year, may I be an instrument of your fraternity-building here on earth. And may I always be mindful of the most vulnerable among us, in whatever form that vulnerability takes. Amen.”
Prayers for the First Day of School
Seat assignments. Introductions. Syllabi.
And prayer.
With all the other things on your To Do list, a first day of school prayer doesn’t have to be hard or complex. Invite God into your Day 1 with one of these simple prayers:
- “Through the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, I pray that You protect and guide our myself and my fellow teachers this year, as well as all of our students and their families. Keep them safe and healthy and protect them from all evil. Amen.”
- “May Your Spirit ignite the young hearts that fill this classroom. May Your Spirit inspire the minds that will gather here. May we all hunger and thirst to know You better. May we learn from each other and be open each day to better understand how You call us to follow You. Amen.”
- “Heavenly Father, I ask for Your peace as my students and I embark on this journey. Today, as we take the first small step on the road of the new academic year, remind us of Jesus’s call for us to wash each other’s feet. As we grow together on this path, may we cast aside our pride and open our hearts and minds to you. May we seek ways to uplift each other. May we build Your kingdom together. Amen.”
Back to School Prayers with Saints
On the first day of school, consider asking for the intercession of your school’s patron. Saints like Ignatius of Loyola and Augustine have many schools that consider them their patrons. As you begin your first day, invoke your school’s patron saint as you reflect on the upcoming school year.
You can also consider turning to saints closely associated with the teaching profession, such as:
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- St. John Baptist De La Salle
- St. John Bosco
- St. Cassian of Imola
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Daily Prayer for Teachers – All Year Long
Hallow helps teachers find peace through prayer throughout the entire school year.
Learn more about Hallow for Teachers or drop us a line with any questions.