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The Ultimate Guide to Your First Day at School
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Organizing a Seating Arrangement
Consider what ways you think would work best with seating arrangements in your classroom. Do you prefer to have the students facing you at all times? Does a group or sitting in teams approach appeal to you? Much of this will depend on your style of teaching. Are you a teacher that stands at the whiteboard most of the time, or at the front of the room, or do you like to walk around constantly and be interactive with your students? Keep in mind that you can try something at first, and if it isn’t working out how you planned, you can by all means do something different. Again, see what other teachers are doing, and ask them how it is working out.
Discuss and get seating arrangement tips from other teachers
Classroom Décor
Your classroom should be a safe haven for your students. It should be welcoming and warm. While you want the room to be structured and make sense, it can be given a “homey” feeling by placing pillows in a reading center (or even bean bag chairs). You can also let the students help decorate the room, to give them a sense that this is their room and you are their teacher, because you share ideas with them.
Discuss and share tips with other teachers
Continue reading on the next page for more tips
etrapp
about 1 year ago
66 comments
Does anyone have some good ideas about classroom management for a middle school class? (6-8) I'm great with the little ones but am having a hard time keeping junior high kids queit!!!!
Shupiker
about 1 year ago
6 comments
I'm going to be student teaching next week, and I'm not sure exactly how to establish my role as a teacher while remaining a student. Any suggestions?
Julia
about 1 year ago
52 comments
I had a friend with a crying child who did not want to go to school. It is heartbreaking, but what my friend did worked--after a few weeks. Brace yourself. She was matter of fact about it and just got her daughter ready and took her--day after tearfilled day. She made sure that teachers knew her number so that if anything really was wrong, that they could call her. She was positive and upbeat and realized that the crying stopped each day after the teachers got her daughter settled down and busy. HANG IN. Good luck to you both.
Brandye
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Anyone out there have any tips on what do if a child is not wanting to go to school? She is making herself so upset with the crying. This is her first year of kindergarten but did go to preschool for two years. I am the mother and I am struggling. It is breaking my heart. I am open to anyone's suggestions. I am going to school to become a elementary teacher and we haven't learned anything yet to help with this situation. I figured all you teachers out there have experienced this and could give me some pointers.
Thanks Brandye
SBonilla07
about 1 year ago
578 comments
really can't wait until September, just a week and a half for school....wooo
SBonilla07
about 1 year ago
578 comments
Thank you for this article :)
MsLui
about 1 year ago
20 comments
There are many tips for classroom teachers, but how about those who are outside of classroom teachers? I am a cluster math teacher who teaches K-2 and go to different classrooms for 45 minutes each. Where can I get tips for the beginning of school?
mamadeeds
about 1 year ago
8 comments
I will be teaching Kindergarten as the lead teacher with 2 assistants. It is a team, in a sense. I don't like the red light, yellow, green light/card thing. I like natural consequences. I plan fun centers. You don't follow the rules (warning and clear description of rules) you are out of that center for the day. You break it, you fix it. Use "I statements" not tattling. Be a little relaxed and make sure there is plenty of wiggle time. Otherwise, anyone have other ideas? Incentives for little guys?
titiempi
about 1 year ago
4 comments
I am starting my new job this August. My students are middle schoolers.
I have taught for five years but this is my first year teaching in an international school. My major is TEFL but I 've been offered the position of teaching Host country (i.e. Vietnam) culture to international students. Uhm, tons of things to prepare! But I'm so excited.
I'm thinking of some games for the first day. Well, personally I think you can know lots about your students while observing how they get involved in games... Knowing your students well will give you the key to be a successful teacher!
ITeachtheabcs
about 1 year ago
118 comments
Whatever your teaching style may be, the first days of school are crucial to how smoothly the school year will run for you and your class. It is imperative to have a class structure and class expectations set-up the second the students walk through the classroom door.
TallAnna
about 1 year ago
32 comments
I think CTT = Collaborative Team Teaching.
Mich246ele
about 1 year ago
2 comments
What is a CTT environment?
rluna1
about 1 year ago
4 comments
I will be working in a CTT environment for the first time this September. I will be working in a kindergarten classroom. Does anyone have any experience working in a CTT environment? I am the special education teacher. I've never taught kindergarten. I have experience in middle school--for 3 years, and 1 year prior to that, in a 3-5 self-contained classroom.
mrdnbp
about 1 year ago
2 comments
thanks for this. i will be working in US for the first time this august. This article indeed helps.