New Teacher Tips for First Day of School Success
Simple Steps to Prepare for Positive Start as a First Year Teacher
Aug 18, 2008
No matter how much time a person has spent student teaching and substitute teaching, nothing fully prepares a teacher for the first day in his/her own classroom. All of a sudden, you are responsible for everything! But it doesn't have to be overwhelming. There are simple steps to take that will ensure not only a smooth first day, but a smooth day every day.
New Teachers Write Everything Down
Although many things will become automatic in the months and years to come, the first week of teaching is not the time to fly by the seat of your pants. Write everything down. Make detailed lists of what you need to do. Since you have no way of knowing what your students will be like, don’t leave anything to chance. If it is written down, you can’t forget it.
First Year Teachers Write Detailed Lesson Plans
Lesson plans should be written in detail, including all of the necessary supplies, books, handouts, and other materials. Write down the important questions that go with the lesson. Have in mind ways you can quickly expand the lesson if it is too simple for your class. Think through how you will salvage the lesson if it is too hard. Although teachers always need to be prepared for adapting lessons on the fly, this is even more important as you are getting to know your students at the beginning of the year and you haven’t had time to fully assess their abilities.
Overplan Lessons for Successful Start of Year
It is critical to overplan during the first week of school. Again, since you don’t fully know what to expect of your students at this point, you can’t accurately gauge how long any particular activity might last. Even if you used the same activity during student teaching, it will not play out the same way with a different set of students. Overplan for the day with the idea that if you don’t get to something you’ve planned, you can just move it forward to the next day. It is much easier to move something forward than scramble to find something else for the students to do at the last minute while they are all watching you.
Mentally Walk Through the Day
Sit down the night before and the morning of the first day of school and walk step-by-step through your plans. How will you distribute materials? Do you have everything you need and it is carefully organized? Don’t assume anything! Think through each step and what you will say and how you will act. By doing this, it will feel familiar when you are actually in the midst of it with the students.
New Teachers Should Arrive Early
Arriving early every day is one of the keys to a successful year of teaching. Take the time to walk through the day, check all of your materials and lesson plans. Then take a few minutes and sit down by yourself and do something that will encourage and inspire you. Read a book that you find meaningful, listen to music, write in a journal or ponder the quote on your daily teacher calendar. Whatever it is, take five minutes to focus on what is ahead.
Starting out as a new teacher can be incredibly overwhelming, especially during the first week of school. But careful planning and thinking through the details will help the first year teacher ensure the possibility of a great start! Other helpful articles related to preparing for the start of school include Simple Activities for the First Day of School and How to Prepare Classroom for First Day of School.
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