Getting Ready for the First Day of School: For Teachers

The first day of school for a teacher is the most crucial day of the school year. It is the day that sets the precedence for the rest of the year, which can be nerve racking to say the least. If you are prepared, all will be well.

Clothing

Before the school year starts, choose or buy an outfit that is not only appropriate for the school setting but also shows your students that you are an adult in charge. While it won’t necessarily solve all problems, it will give you the look of an authority figure. Appropriate clothing items would be business–like clothing, dress shirts, dress pants, suits, ties, blouses, knee-length skirts, etc. Avoid denim, low cut/high cut clothing, patterns that are too flashy, t-shirt material, or anything else that could make you seem more like a college student and less like a professional.

Paperwork

It’s very important to have everything ready, including all necessary papers you plan to give to your students. Have your lesson plans, seating charts, classroom rules/guidelines, grading policy and letter to parents printed and sorted. I would keep my lesson plans, grading policy, and classroom guidelines in a binder near my desk for any administrator that needed to see it. I kept my seating charts on my desk or on my podium. For the students, I organized copies of the classroom guidelines, grading policy, a letter to parents and a new, sharpened pencil and placed them in folders which were placed on the students’ desks.

Classroom

Having the classroom in order is essential for a good start. Start with the items that use the most space: the students’ desks and the teacher desk. How do you want these arranged? The students’ desks depend on a few things: the number of students in each class, the subject you teach and your teaching style. As for me, I always started out the year with the desks in rows, often pairings of two desks. It was easiest to work with in the beginning, especially since I often had thirty to thirty-five students per class. It also set up a familiar pattern for students. I didn’t change the desk arrangement, for group work or literature reading, until the students had some time to get used to the classroom rules and proper classroom behavior.

The teacher’s desk is another issue. It’s a large piece of furniture, so it is a bit difficult to maneuver and place in a classroom. For most teachers, it is in the front of the class or in the back of the class. I liked to place my desk in the front of the room off to the side where I could have a little secure teacher nook, oversee my students and have the door leading to the hallway in my sights. Also, with it being on the side and not in the middle, I am able to have a larger ‘stage’ where I could move around as I taught. Place it where you feel comfortable, where you know your items are easy to access (yet not too easy for students to grab!).

For the rest of the furniture items in your classroom (bookshelves, filing cabinets, etc), it may depend where you have extra space. For example, I kept my three filing cabinets in the back corner of my room, in a ‘dead’ space near the second white board. In that manner, they were out of the way of any student desks, yet I was still able to store my files in a secure place that I had within my sights from my desk.

When you consider decorating the room, remember one thing: students can be distracted by almost anything. Try not to put too much in your room, including posters. If you are going to hang posters, keep them at a minimum and make sure they are worth the time your students will be viewing them. What does that mean? It means to buy or make posters that meet the standards in your curriculum. I had posters with fun reminders about grammar, spelling or writing. I also included some posters that made the students think: posters with quotes or inspiring messages about learning and being true to themselves. Other than posters, other items with which to decorate include: curtains, mobiles, figurines, lighting, pictures, globe, etc. Again, remember not to make things too distracting. I added a few things, like pictures, a painting, and sheer curtains to give my classroom a bit of a homey feel.

Courage

Last, but certainly not least, is how you present yourself as the teacher that first day. It takes a lot of courage to stand in front of a young audience and guide and lead them on a daily basis.

A week before school begins, prep yourself. Think about what you’ll say as students walk through your door. When it is time to begin class, what will be their cue? How are you going to introduce yourself? How will you transition into a lesson? How will you close the class? These are all very important things to consider and practice ahead of time so that when these moments arise, you are as cool as a cucumber. You may still be nervous on the inside, but after practicing how you would run your classroom, you are able to meet all challenges with ease.

On the first day of school, I was required to meet the students at the door, so I was not able to be with them in the classroom as they arrived. To keep them from just walking around, I set up a PowerPoint with slides that said “Welcome! Please take your seat and wait quietly for class to begin.” Once everyone had arrived, I walked in, said my good mornings, and took attendance and lunch count. By making the students wait for my introduction until those important tasks were done, I was teaching them how to be still and wait for me to run things. When I was finished, I began my introduction, which was also accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation. I spoke about myself, my class, the room, my guidelines and my expectations.

At the end of each class, my closure was reviewing with the students how the class ran and what my expectations were for them the very next day. I would remind them to arrive on time, sit quietly in their seats and begin their opening assignment without my prompting. Class would begin as soon as I came in from hall duty.

The first day of school for teachers can be nerve-racking, but if you are prepared, you will set a positive tone for a smooth school year.

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