It’s the First Day of School! Now What?!

The first day of school is a highly-anticipated, yet roller coaster of a day!  School supplies and room decor are brand new, teachers are excited to implement what they have been working on and planning for months, while students are excited to have a fresh start.  While I have had 15-first days of school, I can tell you that not ONE has ever been the same.

Different groups of students, different building dynamics, and other factors bring on new ideas and demands.  Despite changes in these components, there are three things I ALWAYS make sure to tackle on the first day of the year.  If you are a brand new teacher, switched grade levels, or veteran teacher with many years of experience, if you are working with BIG KIDS, here are the essentials…

#1: Share and Post the Daily Schedule

Students want to know what is taking place during the school day.  It shouldn’t be a mystery for them, so make it visible.  Just like you want to know when you are going to get to eat lunch, so do they.  Provide a visual schedule for them and make a point to share the schedule so they know what to expect on this first day and for many days to come.  Of course you may tweak things as the weeks go on, but keep students aware of what they are learning and when it is taking place.

Here is a sample schedule.

Type your schedule, print it for students, and tape it in their planners.  Better yet, turn a bulletin board into your daily schedule.  It is the decor that keeps on giving because it won’t need changing…unless your schedule does.    Schedules also prevent the unavoidable hand raise followed by, “When’s lunch?” #lookatyourplanner

#2: Discuss and Model Classroom Expectations

Are you using some sort of school-wide or classroom management program?  Let your students know what is expected and go through these procedures/expectations with them on Day 1.  How do they: line-up, come into the classroom, sharpen pencils, organize materials, participate, or utilize the restroom?  Take the time to teach and practice how you want students to manage the many tasks they encounter each day during the course these first few weeks.  It is better to teach expectations early, so students get used to what they are to do.  It is far easier to train your students in these first days than to have to go back and fix what was never taught. If we don’t establish our expectations right away, it will be a struggle and we will be re-teaching the expectations ALL-YEAR-LONG!

Here is a FREEBIE behavior management display!  Click the image to grab it…

You can thank me next week when a student is NOT standing and sharpening his pencil from end to end for five minutes during your explanation of every assignment or raising his hand to go to the restroom ten minutes into your whole class discussion. #teachexpectedbehaviors

#3: and Most SIGNIFICANTLY, WE HAVE FUN!

My ultimate goal of DAY ONE is to have my students walk away from the first day so pumped and excited about our first day, they can’t wait to return tomorrow.  When I consider how I want to start my time with students and how I want them to reflect on their first day, I think about…

• What will make students feel most comfortable?
• How can they get to know one another and build a positive rapport?
• What will allow them to feel confident to discuss and interact?
• What will engage them AND allow me to learn about them at the same time?

I want them talking and interacting, so I created Getting to Know You! Chit Chat Cards for the first week of school.  These discussion cards allow my students to experience each of these components right away.  Click on the image to grab this FREEBIE!

Place students in partners or small groups and allow them to respond to the different question or prompt on each card.  Your students will learn a great deal about one another and your classroom community will begin forming with this foundational activity.

Once I have tackled these components of the first day, I can move on with read alouds, reader’s theater scripts, and other “Getting to Know” one another activities that engage my students and cause the first week to fly by.  I wish you the best of luck as you tackle your first day of the year.  Enjoy the day and your amazing crew of students.  Before we know it, we are gearing up for the end of the first quarter and conferences.

All the best to you and your students! #havethebestyearever