First Day, First Impressions

The time has come! Once August 1st hit, we all had that slightly anxious feeling in the pit of our stomach, knowing that August 23rd would be here before we knew it! And sure enough, August is almost half over, flying by way faster than June and July combined. However, with the start of another school year comes fresh hope that our rosters of students will be pleasing, our rooms will be filled with wonder and excitement, and our September 20 paycheck will be here soon!

For our first days of school, it's important to remember the old saying, "You only get one chance to make a first impression." Typically, we'd remind students of this, as it seems like the ball is in our court - we already know what we're teaching and we give out the grades...it's the students who need to feed up to our good side, right? Well, not necessarily. It's not so much that when they're in our classroom, they're "ours," but rather once they're there, we only have so much time to get them to buy into what we're doing. They're performance and grades are a reflection of them - true. But let's face it, they're a greater reflection of us and the significant (or not so much) ways we are capable of serving each student.

Therefore, the following are some "First Day" tips for capturing the spirit of our students...ways to get our one class to stand out in their mind as that "favorite one of the day." And just remember, they're pretty easy to do, so you may find yourself enjoying school and another "First Day" back at it!

1. Smile. And maybe even laugh! It's ok to let your kids know you're human, you enjoyed a summer, but like them, your thoroughly happy (try to hide the sarcastic tones) to be back at school and working with them.

2. Look the Part. You know every kid is out buying that "First Day" outfit...trying to make a good first impression and wanting everyone to know they've grown up some since last year. Not that you need to show you've "grown up," but feel free to put on a snazzy outfit that says with refreshment, "WeLcoMe BacK!!"

3. Get it Together. Two minutes after the kids walk in is the perfect time for some good conversation about summer and all the exciting things you'll do in your class. It's not a great time to be figuring out seating arrangements, printing off syllabi that you forgot about, planning how to get paperwork home to parents, the process of requesting bathroom breaks, etc. Plan out these little things ahead of time and you'll find the day runs much smoother. If you are still unsure of the perfect routines, ask a veteran or bounce some ideas off your neighbor - collaboration is key!

4. Provide Expectations. However you decide to run your class, be sure to inform students early on and allow them the opportunity to practice. For example, if you choose to raise your hand to signal it's time to quiet down during group work, allow them to practice talking loudly in groups and recognize when your hand goes up. If you prefer to say, "Ladies and gentlemen...," when they're heads are down during independent work time to gain their attention, allow them the opportunity to hear what that will sound like. Expectations and routines are a great way to organize your class and provide students knowledge of the structure you're looking for. It's basically a "how-not-to-get-in-trouble" list that most will put to good use.

5. Allow a Clean Slate. We've all heard stories from previous grade teachers about student behavior, effort, etc...sometimes we have our own perception based off of older siblings. Whatever the case, clean the slate. Allow each student to make a name for his or herself based on their performance in your class at present time - not what they did the year before or what their older sibling did, as both of those could - and most likely - are no longer the case!

Get EXCITED! It's going to be a great year of learning, application, and fun...we only get one "First Day," but don't fret...if you don't feel you got it just right the first day, there's plenty of days before you!