It’s that time of year when teachers are beginning to think about getting ready to go back to school! Need specific ideas for creating a successful first day of school? Here is a short You Tube video that offers three three very useful tips. Created by Grace Dearborn, an educational consultant, teacher trainer, and author. Found at her website called Conscious Teaching. Enjoy!

As the start of a new academic year is upon us, educators all over the country are contemplating ways to create a successful first day of school. Here are a few thoughts.

Think about what you want to accomplish with your students, right from the start. Of course, classroom management is important, but current educational philosophy suggests that classroom management is easiest when students are actively engaged in stimulating and meaningful activities. So, avoid reading aloud a list of your classroom rules and expectations or your course syllabus. Also, don’t plan a lecture. It’s a snore for the kids, and your throat will be sore by the end of the day.

To create a memorable first day, plan an activity that introduces students to your classroom values. Presumably these values would include respect for peers and working well together. Consider ice-breakers that encourages students to interact with each other. Reward them for learning the names of their classmates. It’s also a great idea to try and learn the names of your students as quickly as possible so that you can greet them by name on their second day. Also, create activities that give kids opportunities to help you and their classmates get to know what is unique about them. Example activities would include a round of Two Truths and a Lie, a Shoe Pile Mingle, or Never Have I Ever.

Another customary classroom value emphasizes the joy of learning. Many teachers want their class to be an exciting adventure as they and their students explore learning together. Crafting an activity that is interactive introduces this classroom value right from the beginning. Consider planning a trivia game, collaborative drawing, or a scavenger hunt.

Whatever you plan for that first day, just be sure it is stimulating and engaging. The time will be well spent if the effort kicks off the school year with a sense of excitement for your class or subject. And that list of classroom rules an expectations and the course syllabus? Consider emailing these to parents before the school year begins, and having them reply that they have received it, perhaps with a simple phrase such as “I Agree.” Or use the communication as an opportunity to invite parents to dialogue with you about their child’s individual needs or concerns.

Above all, have a great year!

Yesterday’s post was a reminder that summer is rapidly coming to an end, and the start of a new school year is just around the corner. This realization typically stimulates reflection about how you can ensure this school year will be the best ever. Here is a second post that offers some tips on how to make this happen. Please feel free to post additional tips and hints in the comments section!

To have a really great year, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. Every teacher knows what it feels like to knock yourself out to do a great job on a particular lesson, only to have this overwhelming feeling that it isn’t working. It’s hard not to get discouraged when you feel like you’re floundering.

Don’t expect each lesson to be perfect the first time you execute it. Doing anything new requires practice in order to reach mastery. Making mistakes is part of the learning process. The important thing is to spend time reflecting on what aspects of the lesson you would like to be better, and then come up with a plan to make that happen. In fact, teaching should be a continuous cycle of planning, executing, reflecting, revising, and repeating. Just try to do a little better each time you do the lesson. Remember that you are a learner, too. You and your students are a learning community, and you are all working together to increase your understanding and improve your skills. Achieving success is a process, and a group process at that!

Think about this, too. The longer you’ve been teaching, the easier it will be to diagnose and prescribe solutions for improvement. In some cases, though, it might be better to stop the lesson and move on to something else for awhile. Later, when you’ve got the time and space for productive reflection, you can do a better job of analyzing.

Remember to take time to remind yourself that you are doing your very best. When a lesson does go the way you want it to, be sure to give yourself a well-earned pat on the back.

Well, teachers, it’s time to admit that summer is rapidly coming to a close, and the start of a new school year is just around the corner. This realization typically stimulates reflection about how you can ensure this year will be the best ever. For the next few days I’ll offer some suggestions. Please feel free to post additional tips and hints in the comments section!

First, let’s discuss a really simple strategy for ensuring success: Recognizing the significant roles played by the school’s support staff. It’s really important to get to know the school’s support staff, and to appreciate them whole-heartedly. School librarians, secretaries, textbook clerks, custodians, security guards, cafeteria workers, groundskeepers, technology support personnel, and bus drivers all make important contributions to the success you and your students will experience in the classroom this year. It might seem like a lot of extra work to cultivate these relationships, and sometimes it’s hard to remember to be appreciative when you’re feeling short on time, overworked, or stressed out, but every day in a hundred little ways that you may never even know about, these folks will be doing their utmost to support your professional efforts. Time and again you’ll be depending on them to make your job a little easier. Be sure to take the time to recognize their areas of expertise and to acknowledge their contributions!

Here are some easy things you can do. When you pass by a support staff member in the hallway, greet them with a smile and a cheerful hello. Leave a little note of appreciation on your whiteboard for the custodian to find when he or she comes to clean your room. A thank you note is always welcome if someone has done something above and beyond, and letting the principal know about those good deeds is always a good idea. When making out your holiday cards, include a few members of the support staff that have been particularly helpful to you. Above all, be sure to model your appreciation and respect for support staff for your students. Remember that a little bit of effort goes a long way to establishing and nurturing your relationships with support staff.

Have a great year, and tune in tomorrow for another great tip!