The First Week of School

Right now, my former school and friends, have already started school.  Just as a fun post, I thought that I would walk through my first week of school with some highlights of the things that I have done in the past.

1)  Seating arrangements-  This first week of school, I let the kids sit wherever they wanted to.  Some people thought I was crazy.  Seventh graders without a seating chart the first week of school?  It was totally cool, because while these kids were sitting next to each other, happy to be in seats of their own choice, I was watching.  I am a pretty observant person, and I observed my students. I saw which students were despised wherever they sat;  I saw which students seemed to gravitate toward the front of the room;  I saw which students stuck themselves into the back corners;  I watched the students interact with each other, from some of the girly giggles and chattering to the constant chin ups (you know, what boys do when they say "waz up?").  Basically, I saw the kids that would need to be separated and which kids could be zeroed in as my "troublemakers" (I really hate that term). 

2)  Procedures- We practiced.  I assigned homework (procedures to take home and read to their parents and have the parents sign) and showed the students how to turn the homework back in.  I made the students start their procedures from day one, whether it was passing out papers to the people in their team, to how to line up and walk to the library or go out for a fire drill.   I took time to practice it.  If I was still teaching, I think that I would probably continue on in that vein, but only for three days or so.  I would try to start more with the curriculum and use the curriculum to teach procedures from the beginning.  BUT for beginning teachers, I think it's super important to focus on those procedures and practice, practice, practice!

3)  Get to know you games-Oh the activities that we would do.  My third year teaching I really focused on implementing the Kagan structures at the beginning of the school year (before I had to leave for 10 weeks while I was on bed rest and maternity leave).  We did a double circle game.  One outer circle, one inner circle.  I would have the inner circle move and then the outer circle move so they always had new partners.  The teams talked about their interests and came up with team names and an identity that was different from the rest of the class.  They each had a "sharing time" in their teams when they brought a brown paper bag with three items that described them. 

I think the most important thing about that first week of school for me, was getting to know the students and letting the students get to know me.  Building a rapport with your classes is extremely important in being able to teach and inspire your class for the remainder of the school year.  

I was not a pushover... Students got in trouble that first week of school each year (some even on the first day of school!).  You need to be firm, organized and thorough your first week of school. What you decide to do your first week of school in regards to disciplining your students is so important and it sets a tone for the rest of the year.