First Day of School Tips

Are you ready for the first day of school? Or are you reflecting on how you started this year and want to make some changes? Here are some tips from a teacher with 16 years of first day school jitters and experience in how she keeps the first day of school smooth for all.

Tip #1: Make a Seating Chart:

Use Microsoft Word or any other application to put together a blank template of your classroom set up. Then print this out and fill out the students names in each seat. Also, be sure to number each desk on the seating chart.

Tip #2: Label Desks with Numbers

Label each desk 1 - however many desks you have in the room. You can do this buy using post-it notes and taping them on each desk.

Tip #3: Create a Get to Know you Sheet

Create a worksheet for students with questions you would like to know about them. Some ideas for questions to ask include, "What is your favorite color?", "What is your favorite school subject?", "What is your favorite movie?", and so on. Be sure to ask questions you also would feel comfortable sharing with your class for a discussion later. Once you have created this sheet, make copies of them for each student you have. Fill out each students name on the sheet and the desk number you have assigned to them from the seating chart. Then make sure at the beginning of the day you have the papers on the front of the room so they can grab the sheet and make their way to their numbered desk.

Tip #4: Call Students Up to Your Desk

Once the students are filling out their sheets and are in their desks, call each student up to your desk individually. Once they are at your desk, you can talk with them and ask what name they would like to go by during the year. Many students like to go by nicknames or their middle names. You also are able to speak with the student if you are unsure on how to pronounce their name. If this is the case, you can phonetically spell their name on the seating chart so that in the future you are more comfortable with calling their name out in front of the class.

Lastly, once you have spoken with each student you can go to the front of the room and discuss with your class their answers and share yours as well. This will help you gauge how your class is going to be.

My mom has received many compliments from her students on how she starts her first day of school. This process has allowed students to relax comfortably in her classroom and also get to speak with her one on one and not feel uncomfortable being called out in front of the room on the first day. This also allows her students to get to know each other in the class by listening to their answers and saying their own.

I hope you find these tips helpful! Do you have any first day of school/first day of semester tips? Be sure to leave them in the comments below!