The First Day of School

1. DVC Essay #1 The First Day of School

2. Guide to the 1st day of school • Read the following six examples of suggestions for the first day of school • Discuss the six unique approaches • Decide for yourself the approach that you feel is the best way to begin • Write the essay • Share it with me by Monday, September 24th.

3. 1. Teach your very best lesson • Often teachers use the first day for filling out forms, assigning lockers, and essential but boring “administrivia.” Such a day can set a tone for the students that this is going to be just like all the other years, like all the other classes. On the other hand, students will be fresh from the summer, carrying renewed expectations that this year may be different. Capitalizing on this attitude with a really interesting lesson will create important momentum for your class. You can catch up on the forms and other items later in the week.

4. 2. Establish class rules and procedures • Although a good lesson is most important, getting classroom management under control cannot be stressed too much. On the first day, at least, let you students know you plan to have an orderly classroom with rules that foster respect and a healthy work environment. We do not imply that you lay down the law but that you let your students know that any group needs to have clear rules and you are open to their suggestions or even co-determination of the rules.

5. 3. Start learning their names • As soon as you receive your class lists or rosters, start familiarizing yourself with the students’ names. Once you meet your students, start matching name with faces and, whenever possible, use their names. Nothing signals your interest in them and being on top of the situation like using their names on day 1.

6. 4. Be friendly but businesslike • Often the insecurities of new teachers get the best of them. They vacillate between being Mr. or Ms. Nice Guy and Attilla the Disciplinarian. The beginning teacher’s early commitment to a friendly but task-oriented atmosphere is the key to its realization.

7. 5. Share with student your vision for the year ahead. • Students want to succeed. Even the ones with a history of difficulty with other teachers want the new school year to be better. Don’t tell them how hard they are going to work. Tell them how much they are going to know at the end of the year and what they can do with this new knowledge.

8. 6. Establish procedures for communicating with parents. • You need parental support, and students want to know whether you’ll contact parents about both good and bad events. Tell them you see their parents as your partners, as your co-teachers.

9. Turn and talk • Using a modified Socratic method, state which you like the best by referring to the text and state why you would start this way based on your experience as a student. • Others will speak in turn agreeing with you or suggesting a different method than the one that you chose. • Everyone should take a turn sharing their thoughts.

10. The Best 1st Day of School

11. Write the essay • Choose the suggestion you feel is most important to you. • In a three paragraph essay explain why you think this suggestion is important. • Begin by explaining which one you are choosing based on our class conversation, then how you would implement it and then why you think it will work. • MLA format is required. • Do this in Google Drive and share it with me when you are done ~ csekera@srvusd.net