We’ve all experienced the first day of school whether it was in elementary, middle school, high school, or college. The first day of school can be nerve-racking for any age group, but it can be especially nerve-racking for teachers on their first day back to school. Here are some helpful tips teachers might need in order to survive the first day of school.
1. Introduce yourself.
Depending on the grade level you teach, most of your students probably think of you as a stranger. Introduce yourself. It is important for students to know you are more than just a teacher. Show them pictures of your family and friends. Students should know that you are a daughter (or son), spouse, and bestie. It might help move you from the category of stranger to teacher.2. Get to know your students.
It’s the first day of school. You probably won’t know all your students, nor will all of your students know each other. Create get-to-know-you activities to help make this process easier and more enjoyable.
3. Plan for extra students.
Just because you have a class list doesn’t mean it is necessarily going to remain your class list. It is important to be prepared for extra students to enter your class so you’re not scrambling around trying to round up an extra binder or folder when a new student enters your classroom.4. Get the nerves out.
Tell your students that it’s okay to be nervous on the first day of school -- even teachers get nervous! Reading them the book, "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg is a great way to explain those first-day jitters.
5. Teach, teach, and reteach procedures.
The first day of school will lay the foundation for the rest of the school year. It is important that on the first day you introduce procedures such as using the restroom, sharpening pencils, lining up for lunch, and so on. Continue teaching and reteaching these procedures as the days go on. It will make life much easier later in the year.
6. Allow more bathroom breaks than usual.
Just like teachers aren’t used to being in school, students aren’t either. Their bodies aren’t used to waiting until scheduled bathroom breaks, so you should give them a break.. Nerves can make the bathroom situation so much worse, so this is why breaks are even more important.7. Be flexible.
The first day of school is always chaotic. It doesn’t matter how much you plan, something will probably go wrong. It is important that you are flexible. If you are tense or worked up about a situation, your students will mostly likely act the same. Flexibility can make or break a situation.
8. Be positive.
Everyone has experienced a negative Nelly. In order to avoid a classroom or school full of negative Nelly’s, it is crucial to set a positive tone for the school year. Positivity can go a long way. For every correction given to a student, you should try to give them four positives.
9. Know your students’ after school plans.
LOST CHILD. Wait, what? That’s right. You should know your students’ after school plans, and you should insure they know their own plans so that they do not get “lost” when over seven hundred students are being released. Accidents happen, but finding out after school plans can help eliminate the possibility of a child getting lost.
10. Make friends with the school support staff.
The school secretaries and custodians are the most knowledgeable and helpful people in a school building. They’re the go-to people when you don’t know where or what something is. Friendships with the custodians can also result in some perks like first pick of desks or overly-clean rooms.
11. Feed yourself.
It’s only eleven in the morning, and your stomach feels like it’s going to eat itself. School has started, so your morning routine of snacks and an early lunch isn’t going to cut it. Be sure to pack treats somewhere in your room. That granola bar hidden in the bottom of your desk drawer might just give you the boost you need to make it to lunch.
Now the only questions left to ask is, “Will you survive the first day of school?” Perhaps you should put some of these tips in place in order to insure a successful first day of school.
