Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/358877
WAYS TO BEAT THE FIRST-DAY JITTERS Organization + activities = success PLAN THE DRIVE TO SCHOOL If you plan to drive to school, drive it at least once during the time of day you will be driving to school. Find the best route and an alternate route in case of a traffi c accident. LEARN YOUR WAY AROUND Familiarize yourself with the building. Lo- cate exits, principal's offi ce, gym, nurse's offi ce, cafeteria, supply room, faculty lounge and media center. KNOW THE RULES Get acquainted with school policies and procedures, such as opening and closing hours, attendance procedures, fi re drill regulations, lunch- room regulations and nurse services. Ask if there is a student handbook. Set up a notebook or folder to hold offi cial notic- es, policies and schedules. INTRODUCE YOURSELF Meet the teachers on your hall. They can be of assistance in the first few weeks of school. Take the time to say hello to other important people in your building: the librarians, the counselors, the school nurses, the cafeteria workers and custodians. GET THERE EARLY On the fi rst morning, arrive early so you'll have time to ask any last-minute questions, go over fi nal plans, and relax before the students come in. GREET YOUR PUPILS Be in your room when the pupils arrive. Have your name written on the chalkboard. Greet the students with a smile and a pleasant "Good morning." DECORATE YOUR ROOM Get your room ready. Make sure your classroom is friendly and livable for opening day. Put up pictures, design a colorful bulletin board and add a few plants. Before bring- ing in an animal, check school policy and student allergies. CONSIDER TRADITIONAL SEATING Start with the traditional arrangement of desks until you've estab- lished control and know your students' names. Make a temporary seating plan. Check for "blind spots" from your desk and various parts of the room. Keep traffi c patterns in mind when arranging. GET YOUR MATERIALS READY Make sure you have all the materials you'll need for getting school under way: paper, pencils and books. Obtain blank forms such as hall passes and textbook forms. Identify the forms that will be used the fi rst week, what information should be included and how they are handled. There are more than you could ever expect! Obtain supplies provided by the school. These go fast — learn how to keep track of them. Among supplies you'll need are: paper, pencils, pens, paper clips, masking tape, scotch tape, scissors, chalk, stapler and staples. Find out how to obtain textbooks. If you are a fl oating teacher, prepare a means of moving ma- terials from room to room, such as a luggage dolly with a small basket. STORE SUPPLIES Go through the storage and filing cabinets and decide where to store things to which students will have access and things to which only you will have access. Be careful with money, calculators and your grade book. Locate a secure spot for your personal valuables. SCHEDULE YOUR TIME Make a detailed schedule for the fi rst few days, including times for each subject, restroom and lunch breaks, and other times your students will leave the room. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN Create lesson plans for the fi rst few days. Plan at least twice as much as you think you can cover. Write down everything. Detailed plans will provide you with a feeling of security when facing the class for the fi rst time. MAKE PROCEDURAL DECISIONS School will begin much more smoothly if you have decided in advance how to handle routine procedures. It is especially important for you to develop classroom discipline procedures that follow your district's policy and guidelines. Elementa- ry teachers should decide on a system for: taking attendance, book and paper distri- bution, money collection, restroom visits, fi re drills, classroom entrances and exits, and bus loading. Secondary teachers need to decide how to: take attendance, deal with tardy students, make assignments, collect papers, handle makeup work, and give hall passes. GET DOWN TO BUSINESS Make opening exercises brief. Your goal for the morning is to get down to the business at hand. START THE LEARNING Make the fi rst day of school a real one. Accomplish some constructive learning with your stu- dents. A good start yields big dividends later on. Member- recommended advice 7 www.cta.org 2 0 1 4 –2 0 1 5