First Day Jitters

The first day of school is a big one. It is arguably the most important day of the year, even more important than the scary state testing days and the fun holiday parties. The good news is it's a fresh start. The bas news is, I hear that no amount of teacher education classes or student teaching experiences quite prepare you for your first day with your class, especially if it's your first first day.

I won't have my scary first first day for a while (a while being whenever I finish graduate school); but, my teacher friends from school are all starting this fall. I had lunch with two of them last week and one of their biggest concerns for the fall is what to do on the first day of school (that and interpreting pacing/curriculum guides of course). So this post is inspired by them! I've decided to do a little digging to find out what makes the first day of school a success. If you have any tips or advice please share them in the comments!

Let's Talk Logistics

Logistically speaking, there are some actions you can take to feel more prepared for the first day of school. Harry Wong is a well know writer in the education world and his book "How to be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of School" outlines four important elements that set the first day up for success:

#1 Have your room ready! For most teachers, this is the easiest part. Who doesn't love decorating classrooms and having the freedom to arrange the room the way you want it. A well set up classroom just beams with future potential. But what exactly is included in getting your room "ready"? Here are a couple things to consider:

Physical Layout- Make sure that the layout of your classroom reflects your unique teaching style. If you love to have socratic circle discussions, arrange your desks in a circular fashion and make that the focal point of your room! If you want to utilize group work and reap its many advantages then cluster the desks and make safe walkways between. Make sure your supplies are organized and within reach. Do you want to have two teacher desks? A desk and a table? One all encompassing area? That's up to you, but make sure it is convenient for your teaching style.
Safety- Safety is not nearly as fun as brainstorming endless classroom arrangements, but it is important. Strategically think through your high traffic areas in the class room. Make sure your emergency exits are easily accessible and that you are using safe practice with the location of technological devices and cords. For more information on this topic read through some technology safety and health tips on my education media portfolio.
More tips at: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/easy-guide-setting-your-grade-k-5-classroom/

Check out the classroom layout and set up plan I designed for my future classroom:

#2 You are at the door and ready! Greeting students at the door is a great way to set the tone for an excellent school year. It creates a welcoming atmosphere and can help calm the nerves of some frantic students. This is especially effective if you take the time to learn your students' names in advance. Utilize your class roster to memorize names. In addition, at open house you can ask students house to pronounce their names and take photos of students who attend to help you memorize more efficiently. They will be impressed that your went the extra mile to show you care.

#3 Have assigned seats! This number kind of goes along with number one, but if you are taking the time to strategically plan your desk arrangement, you may as well assign the seats as well! Primary grades often put names tags on the desks so it's easy for the students to find when they walk into the room. Older grades may use a seating chart posted on the SMART Board in order to identify their seats. If your seating chart needs adjusting that is totally fine, but having that routine of assigned seats in place on the first day will set the rest of your year up for success.

#4 Have the first assignment ready! The first assignment will truly depend on the grade you teach. Personally, I would want an engaging activity to begin the school year. Make sure it is something that every student will succeed on, again, this depends on your grade level. About me activities are a good choice because it doesn't require background knowledge outside of knowledge about themselves. Plus, your students want you to know more about them anyways.

Since I personally have not done any first day of school activities, I have compiled a list of some of the best ones I found during my search:

The last tip is....

SMILE

Remember that your students are nervous too and that a smile can go a long way! It can make your students feel at ease, and also help you find joy in a stressful day!

To all the first year teachers and even the experienced teachers out there getting ready for a terrific new school year -- GOOD LUCK! I can't wait to join you someday!

The inspiration behind this post: