Starting School

How to have a successful first day, first week, and year!

Goals: *The most beneficial activities you can do to prepare for the beginning of the school year.

*Procedures to follow to insure a great first day, week of school, and creation of a respectful learning atmosphere.

*Maintain procedures that allow teaching and student development by the elimination of most discipline problems.

Preview:

Expectations for Students to follow in your classroom

Most teachers refer to these as ‘rules’, but I prefer to call them expectations. These are going to give students the boundaries for what is acceptable behavior. Below is an example of a sheet that I’ve used for years. You may use this sheet or you may change it to meet your needs.

Once you make your expectation sheet, place it in a folder on your desk. You will be making copies for the first day of class.

This expectation sheet will become a contract with students. The expectation sheet (once filled out by a student) will be placed into your CYA file with a blank sheet of paper behind it. This blank sheet will be for any documentation you make on this student on behavior, effort, grades, attitude, and conversations to correct problems, and parent contact.

I provide a Student Expectation Sheet for you. You can use this as a template to create your own or use this one. Once students have received this form, they fill out the top information. Expectations are discussed and explained.

For example, expectation #1 is explained that once the student is in the classroom, they are IN the classroom. They cannot place their materials on their desk and leave to the hall or bathroom. (This prevents students from bringing in problems from the hallway or being late.) Now, if they want to stay out in the hall until 30 seconds before the bell, I don’t care. BUT…once they step into my room, they are IN CLASS and expected to begin reviewing their notes or reading instructions on the board. This is very effective. You have to stay on top of it for the first three weeks and it will get easier after that.

Expectation #2: When students enter with gum, just mention to spit gum into the trash. If they forget, you will not make a big deal about it unless they get sneaky. Just point to their mouth during class and expect them to get rid of it.

Expectation # 3, pleeeeease…they are old enough by now to bring their materials. Have extra materials that they can ‘rent’ if they forget. (Renting a pencil or pen, requires a shoe or jacket…something they will need when they leave. Also, sending a student out for not having paper or pencil is silly. You can’t teach a student who isn’t in your class. If the student makes a habit of this, visit with them on a one-on-one basis.)