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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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When we can see exactly what needs to be done and taught it helps us from spending too much time on one thing and running out of time for another. By having an organized outline before you the year starts, lesson planning will be more simply during the year.

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Curriculum maps help to see "big picture" when planning for the year

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Curriculum maps help to see "big picture" when planning for the year

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You will be able too see what needs to be accomplished by what time. From there you will be able to plan the smaller details to create your actual lessons.

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I have a teacher confession to make: I've never made my own curriculum map before this year. (Gasp! I know!) I've always either worked at a school that provided one for us or on a team that didn't think it was necessary. My experience making a curriculum map this year has convinced me that it is one of the best things I can do over the summer to prepare the following year. Today, I wanted to share why I think it's so important, and I have a resource to help you get started.

What exactly is a Curriculum Map?

A curriculum map is exactly what it sounds like... a map... of your curriculum. Simple enough. But it can be really powerful, when it's done right. A curriculum map lays out all of the concepts and skills you'll be teaching for the year, in order, and with a guide as to how long you will teach each skill. I personally like putting my curriculum map on a calendar, because it helps me with my lesson plans throughout the year.

It seems like a lot of work. Why should I bother?

Yogi Berra once said, "If you don't know where you're going, you might not get there." I have no idea what the original context was, but this is a particularly powerful quote for teachers. Each year, it seems that we have more and more content to cover throughout the course of the 9-10 months we have our students.

Without a solid plan in place, we can easily get swept into spending too long on certain concepts and run out of time at the end of the year or before standardized testing. I hear from teacher friends in my school and around the country that are constantly feeling like they are running out of time to teach everything. A solid curriculum map can be the first step in solving this common problem.

My experience with writing my own curriculum map this year has been a powerful one. Since I am moving grade levels, creating a curriculum map has helped me to dig through my new set of standards, really thinking through how to teach them, and in what order.

I've also had the opportunity to align the mentor texts I love and our basal reader selections with the science and social studies curriculum, so that I am getting the most "bang for my buck" with each book or story. Writing your own curriculum map before the school year starts allows you to really plan out the skills and concepts you teach together, so that your units are more integrated.

Can't I just use the pacing guide from my district?

Well, yeah, I guess you could. And that's what I did for years. But here's the thing... Most district pacing guides are just that, a guide. They're pretty broad and generic. They typically include the general topics, but not much in the way of resources or specific activities. They definitely don't take into account your own teaching style or the specific needs in your classroom. When you write your own, you can include all of these things, and you're much more likely to actually refer to it throughout the year.

What if I get off pace?

It happens. And it's ok. Give yourself a little grace. What would you do if you got off track when following a road map? You'd look at it again, and find a way to get back to where you're supposed to be. When you get off of your curriculum map's pacing, don't stress over it. Just take a look again, and decide how to best get back on track.

Writing Your Curriculum Map

It sounds simple, but start with what you're supposed to be teaching. I looked first at my reading, writing, science, and social studies skills, because we are implementing new math curriculum this year, and will be receiving a pacing guide for it at the beginning of the year. Once I receive that, I'll come back and add math skills to my curriculum map.

1. Basic Skills & Concepts

For my map, I started by printing out my standards and making a list of the basic skills and concepts included. I did this in a simple Google Sheet with a column for each subject.

2. Related Books & Resources

Next, I opened my curriculum map and added all of the books and activities I knew offhand I wanted to use that went along with the basic skills. Once I finished adding those that came to mind, I looked through our basal reader and some of my favorite supplemental reading resources. I added books and stories alongside the science and social studies skills they could be integrated with.

3. Seasonal Activities

Take a look at your curriculum list. Is there anything on it that's seasonal? If there is, go ahead and add it to your curriculum plan for the right week or month. Cross off skills & topics as you add them to your plan.

Think about science and social studies skills, favorite books to accompany a topic, etc. In fourth grade, I need to teach about tornadoes and thunderstorms. Around here, it makes a lot more sense to teach those concepts in April than it does in December. Likewise, if you teach anything about the election process or the US government, it would be smart to teach it at the beginning of November. Planning ahead will help you put these topics where they belong, instead of just teaching them whenever you get to it.

4. Fill in the Gaps

Go ahead and fill in any district mandates you have to follow. For example, my district is adopting a new math series this year. We've been told that they will provide us a scope & sequence in our training before school starts, and that we must follow it. (That's why my math is blank in the images!) Luckily, I will still be allowed to pull in other resources outside of the textbook, so once I get the scope & sequence, I'll fill in the skills, and then plan activities from there.

Look back at your list again. Start with beginning of the year foundational skills, and work towards the end of the year. Fill in the gaps with skills in the order that makes the most sense or builds on prerequisite skills and concepts. You'll probably have to do some rearranging here and there to make everything fit, and that's ok!

Now that you have a curriculum map... Use it, and Revise it!

Throughout the year, pop back in to your planning calendar, and adjust it to account for concepts or activities that took longer than expected. Sometimes, as we teach, we realize that the concepts would have been easier for students to understand if we'd taught them in a different order. Go ahead and swap those around in your planning calendar so you get it right next year!

If you'd like the editable planning calendar I used this year, you can grab it in my TPT store. It's completely editable in PowerPoint, so you can add school events and make it your own!

What are you doing now to ensure success in your classroom for the upcoming year?

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Power Up Your Teaching by Creating a Curriculum Map

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I have a teacher confession to make: I've never made my own curriculum map before this year. (Gasp! I know!) I've always either worked at a school that provided one for us or on a team that didn't think it was necessary.

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Using Curriculum mapping to plan entire year

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Using Curriculum mapping to plan entire year

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As you start to think about the upcoming school year, it is helpful to start by thinking about "the Big Picture". What is it that you want and need to cover during your overall time with your students? Creating and utilizing curriculum maps (also referred to as pacing guides, long-range plans, year at a glance planning, etc.) will allow you to be sure that all concepts and standards for your grade level are covered without having to cram too much at the end of the school year. It will also help you to better integrate subject areas for a cross-curricular approach to teaching.

When preparing to make these plans (curriculum maps, pacing guides, etc.), think about what you'll need material wise to help you stay organized while planning as well as what resources you have available to help make this planning as smooth as possible. This could include printable guides, colored pens, Post-It notes, last year's curriculum guide, and notes that you made to yourself from last year. You'll want to keep in mind projects that work better during a certain time of year, when vacations are, when field trips happen, and any other event that may impact your planning. Having all of this written down as you plan will be especially useful as you come across new ideas, themes, books, and projects that you'll be using during the year.

I suggest using the following approach:

Begin by jotting down all of the major themes and big ideas that you'll be teaching. Determine if there are seasonal activities that you want to include. For example, I like to do my Pilgrim and Wampanoag Projects in November, Gingerbread in December, and my Plant Unit in May. Use your standards to find an overarching umbrella of big ideas that you must teach during the year.

Think about read alouds you want to share with your class. How long will they take? When would be a good time to read them? Do they align with any concepts or themes?

After you have established the "Big Ideas", you can start looking at the nitty-gritty: specific standards, lessons, and pacing. This will take some maneuvering and you'll need to keep in mind the "extra" school events that can affect your pacing.

Consider your district's requirements. If they have created a pacing guide, you'll want to use it to form your own long-range plans.

I actually like to use Post-It Notes {check out my Post-It Note To Do List Organizer} to help me begin the planning process. It beats having to erase on a piece of paper as plans keep changing because I feel a unit would be better taught elsewhere.

I then like to create two sets of week-by-week plans. One is short and sweet and makes it easy to see things at a glance. The other is a bit more detailed. It is where I jot down ideas for lessons, books to go with the lessons, project ideas, etc.

Don't forget to write down all your ideas as they come to you as you're planning! You can always nix the idea later if it isn't going to work for your classroom. It's better to have that idea and not need it than need an idea and not have one!

In the end, you'll be happy you took the time to organize your overall plans for the year. The plans will ensure that you allocate sufficient time to cover each standard and objective and will provide a framework for building your teaching units. We all know teaching changes day to day, and your plans may not stay on a day-to-day schedule, but having this plan for the year will help you see where you need to get your students and how to better keep on track with all standards that are to be taught in your grade level.

I have created an editable Curriculum Map Packet that may be helpful.

The packet comes in four different formats and all are included. There is a colored version (featuring aqua chevron) and an ink-saving black and white version (which looks fantastic when printed onto colored paper). Each of those versions comes bundled as a PDF which preserves the look of the product and can be written on by hand and an editable Powerpoint version.

Pick and click any or all of the options below.

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How to Use Curriculum Mapping for Planning Your ENTIRE Year

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Clutter-Free Classroom has FREE tips & ideas to help teachers improve classroom organization & management. As a National Board Certified teacher, curriculum developer and conference presenter with 18 years teaching experience in Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade I love sharing my best practices with other educators.

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Curriculum maps usually will provide you with different resources and books you can use during certain units. This will help you prepare ahead of time by having access to those things.

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My favorite one was putting numbered clothes pins on students's submissions to see right away who did not turn them in.

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Whether you're teaching second grade for the first time or you're a longtime vet, we've got you covered! We've collected 50 of the best tricks and tips for teaching 2nd grade from our teacher friends on the WeAreTeachers Helpline, our favorite bloggers, and inspiring articles here on WeAreTeachers. If you need ideas for your second grade classroom, you're in the right place!

Setting up Your Classroom Space

1. Pick an inspiring theme for your classroom.

Themes our second grade teachers love include: butterflies, black paper with polka dots, chevron, sock monkeys, Dr. Seuss, owls, orange and teal, minions, and superheroes.

SOURCE: Schoolgirl Style

2. Find teacher deals on the cheap.

Stores with serious discounts on classroom items recommended by our Facebook followers include: Target, dollar stores, Mardel, Walmart, local teacher supply stores, Staples, Michael's, Jo-Ann, Oriental Trading, Amazon, NAEIR.org, NationalSchoolProducts.com, and TeachersPayTeachers.com.

"Office Depot will match prices plus give an additional discount." - Kitty R.

"Don't be afraid of seeking donations. I once got a case of copy paper donated by a grocery store." - Carmen B.

"Yard sales are a great place for prize-box toys and for games for your rainy day closet." - Sandie N.

Be sure to check out 75 Brilliant Dollar Store Hacks for the Classroom.

3. Try different classroom layouts.

Long gone are the days of straight rows of desks lining the classroom. Throw out your seating chart and try one of these ideas instead.

4. Consider alternative seating.

Bean bags, saucer chairs, and pillows make for inviting alternatives to traditional desk-and-seat formations. Get 13 more ideas here.

SOURCE: Setting Up for Second

5. Set your classroom up to support literacy.

Creating a literacy-rich environment takes careful planning. Emphasize skills and content with these tips.

Creating a Classroom Community

6. Draft a class constitution.

After learning about the Constitution, students can apply their knowledge by creating their own class constitution called "We the Kids!"

SOURCE: Kreative in Life

7. Create a culture of kindness.

Read How Full is Your Bucket? (For Kids) and brainstorm a list of bucket-fillers together to inspire acts of kindness in class.

SOURCE: Simply Second Grade

8. Build your students' social-emotional skills.

Use these read-alouds to talk about everything from kindness to courage to trying your best.

9. What does a "model citizen" look like?

After discussing what makes a good citizen, construct a "model citizen" on poster paper for your classroom. Students can write their ideas about the great qualities a model citizen should have and stick them on the poster to complete the picture.

SOURCE: K-2 is Splendid

10. Encourage good behavior-without giving out treats.

Set your expectations very clearly from the start. Read " What is Classroom Management?" Then, check out these fun ideas for keeping your students on track without breaking the bank.

Classroom Management

11. Have a procedure for everything.

"It's really important, in second grade, that you have procedures for everything! My first year, I had procedures for the big things but not the smaller things, and that was a mistake. Tattling and drama were big in my class. Not starting off with a policy and procedure for addressing it took from instructional time initially." - Donella H.

12. Post your students' morning routine.

Having the routine illustrated and easy to see will help your second graders remember how to start each day independently.

SOURCE: The Colorful Apple

13. Make lining up easy!

Make a line of painter's tape that students can use to line up quickly and easily every day. Eventually, pull up the tape to show your second graders that they can line up perfectly on their own!

SOURCE: Soaring Through Second

14. Set up cues to keep class noise down to a low roar.

Use a chart like this to help students understand when to use different voice levels. Use cues like "spy talk" to signal when voices are getting too loud. Make a class goal of going from a five to a three.For more great ideas, read "27 Good Attention-Getters for Quieting a Noisy Classroom." Or, try out the free Too Noisy App recommended by Elementary Nest!

SOURCE: F irst Grade and Flip Flops

15. Use Class Dojo for classroom management.

"I LOVE it. It was highly motivating for my second graders. I use it as a reward system. My parents love getting notifications that their child was recognized for something they were doing right!" - Angie S.

16. Get the wiggles out.

Even grown-ups can't sit still and listen all day! Get your kids up and moving with awesome three-minute brain breaks from Minds in Bloom.

Music is a great way to mark transitions, teach multiplication facts, or set the tone for quiet reading time. Check out these kid-friendly Pandora stations.

ELA

18. Read to them every day.

Here are 50 awesome 2nd grade books, including read-alouds and independent texts, for your class to read.

19. Use anchor charts to teach reading comprehension.

Check out 25 of our favorites here.

20. Teach with superheroes.

Your second graders will never forget that verbs are action words once they meet Vicky Verb, action hero extraordinaire.

SOURCE: Second Grade Smarty

21. Create an inviting reading nook.

Who wouldn't want to snuggle up and read in one of these cozy spaces?

22. Give your students a voice!

With Kid Blog, students can write their own blogs and express themselves-safely!

"I love Kid Blog!" - Andrea M.

23. Fire up your little storytellers' imaginations.

Create a story jar and let their imaginations roam.

SOURCE: Education.com

24. Research

Research is part of the Common Core standards for second grade. Here, teachers share excellent tips for approaching this seemingly complex topic.

25. Introduce your second graders to small-moment narratives.

Break down the process with this handy anchor chart and then watch them go to town writing.

SOURCE: Buggy for Second Grade

Be sure to use this helpful guide to help kids distinguish those small moments from larger contexts.

SOURCE: Buggy for Second Grade

26. Teach annotation with "thinkmarks."

Encourage students to actively engage as readers by printing or having students create "thinkmarks" they can use to annotate text as they read.

SOURCE: Simply 2nd Resources

27. Track the writing progress of each of your second graders.

Use this pencil chart to help students keep track and recognize the steps of the writing process.

SOURCE: Second Grade Style

28. Make alphabet picture books.

Different editions could include parts of speech, antonyms, synonyms, and homophones, etc. Create a class library of these! It's a great way to showcase student learning. -Swimming into Second

Math

29. Creatively teach time.

Students can draw different times on a dry-erase clock-just a hula hoop taped on your whiteboard.

SOURCE: E lementary Nest

30. Build a number of the day.

Students can build the number of the day by selecting the correct numerals, words, and units.

SOURCE: Turnstall's Teaching Tidbits

31. Play Addition Jenga.

Write (or label) addition problems on the Jenga pieces. As students play the game, they solve the problems on each piece they pull.

SOURCE: Second Grade Style

32. Let your students lead.

"I give my kiddos about 10 minutes to complete morning math problems. Then I choose a student to come up to 'teach' the first problem by sharing strategies and solutions. That student asks if everyone agrees or disagrees and chooses another student for the next problem, if everyone agrees. If there is disagreement with his answer, they discuss alternatives. The students are in charge for the first 30-45 minutes of the day! My favorite time of the day!" - Stacey S.

33. Write in math journals every day.

With math journals, students learn to solve mathematical problems using pictures and words. Check out free entry examples on the blog.

SOURCE: Smiling & Shining in Second Grade

34. Use rhymes to make math more fun.

Remembering how to subtract will be much easier with this cute poem!

SOURCE: The Colorful Apple

Science

35. Teach the water cycle with this fun experiment.

Demonstrate how it rains with water, blue food coloring, and shaving cream. Then create a colorful report about the water cycle.

SOURCE: Simply Second Grade

36. Teach states of matter with this simple demonstration.

Conduct this hands-on experiment to help students recognize and understand the different states of matter.

SOURCE: Education.com

37. Conduct gummy bear experiments.

In the category of snackable tips for teaching 2nd grade ... watch what happens when you soak gummy bears in liquid over a period of days. Find the full experiment-complete with freebie handout-on this blog.

SOURCE: Second Grade Shuffle

Kids will love rotating through fun stations like the tinker workbench, building station, nature table, and more!

Social Studies

39. Teach an early lesson on economics.

"Set up a classroom economy! I give my students plastic 'banks' from the dollar store. They earn money for specific things throughout the day: one penny for copying down homework, 10 cents here and there. Just keep it consistent and don't overuse it. Otherwise, they'll be ungrateful for those random dimes and want quarters instead. On Fridays, they get to go shopping!" - Jacqueline Q.

" My Classroom Economy is a great resource for help getting started." - Renee J.

40. Introduce your second graders to American symbols.

This awesome mini-book is FREE!

SOURCE: Happy Teaching First: A First and Second Grade Blog

41. Learn about heroes.

Read biographies about famous people in history. Match books to holidays, like Presidents' Day or Black History Month.

Teacher tips for staying organized.

Read these tips for keeping your day, week, and year beautifully organized.

43. Manage work submissions with clothespins.

Having students clip their papers will help quickly distinguish whose handed in homework and who hasn't.

SOURCE: 2nd Grade Stuff

44. Use an uncommon organizing method for the Common Core!

Create separately labeled folders for each standard then file activities that align with each standard in the appropriate folders. Genius!

45. Avoid nameless homework.

When students highlight their names before handing in work, you'll never receive a name-free paper again!

SOURCE: Spectacular 2nd Grade

46. Make informal assessments easy with these exit slips.

Create a Show What You Know board. Use speech-bubble-shaped whiteboards for kids to write their lesson takeaways on or have them write on sticky notes and stick them on their designated bubbles. As a follow-up class activity, students can look at everything their classmates learned!

SOURCE: First Grade Nest

47. Find better uses for everyday objects.

Keep markers organized at stations and cooperative groupings with water bottle ice cube trays.For loads more classroom organization tips, read 50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Classroom Management.

SOURCE: Flamingo Fabulous

Bridging the Gap Between Home and School

48. Build positive relationships with parents.

Here are ten tips for making working with parents the easiest part of your job.

49. Welcome parents into your classroom.

Read this for tips for getting the most out of parent volunteers.
What are your top tips for teaching 2nd grade? Come in share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. WeAreTeachers HELPLINE is a place for teachers to ask and respond to questions on classroom challenges, collaboration and advice. Looking for another grade level? You can find all of our 50 Best Tips series here.
50. Have students write this fun Who Am I? paragraph for Back to School Night.

Students can describe and draw themselves. Then parents can guess which child is theirs during Back to School Night festivities. Lifting the drawing will reveal a picture of the student holding their name.

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50 Ideas, Tricks, and Tips for Teaching 2nd Grade

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Whether you're teaching second grade for the first time or you're a longtime vet, we've got you covered! We've collected 50 of the best tricks and tips for teaching 2nd grade from our teacher friends on the WeAreTeachers Helpline, our favorite bloggers, and inspiring articles here on WeAreTeachers.

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Color code as much as possible and label, label, label!!

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Color code as much as possible and label, label, label!!

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Time to be honest. We deal with a lot of paperwork.

Yep, I said it. I let our secret out.

IEPs, FIEs, BIPs, progress monitoring, data collection on IEP goals and objectives... it all requires paperwork, and that's just on a slow day.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Let's be honest again. Our job can be difficult some days.

Take out creating and differentiating the curriculum for our students. Take out the all of the meetings we attend. Take out the daily responsibilities that include duties and contracted teacher hours ( we don't really know what those are anyway... it's more of a guideline). Take out actually teaching too.

Now we can really talk.

Behind our lesson plans, a loaded classroom library, and 5 minute lunch breaks, we spend hours upon hours organizing our classrooms. We do this, not only for ourselves, but for our students.

They need the organization just as much as we do, especially when the day begins spiraling out of control at 8AM after the morning announcements.

Insert your new best friend: a color coded classroom.

Supplies that will be helpful in implementing a color-coded classroom:

So now that I have shared with you my favorite classroom supplies for color-coding my classroom ( which is a great beginner list and where I started), I want to take you inside of my classroom to show you how I organize things.

Let's start with this video I did on how to stay organized and sane as a special education teacher, with tips on how to utilize a color coded classroom:

Okay, now that you've watched the video, let me explain myself and where it all started. It all started over summer when I found a teacher's Heaven... really... in the form of organized, color coded Heaven.

In the middle of my first school year teaching self-contained, I decided to color code my classroom. Better late than never.

But boy oh boy, did Lakeshore Learning ever turn into a classroom game changer for me. And then a year or so later, I amped up my color coding with bins from Really Good Stuff.

I'm not sure what made it *click* in my mind, but once I went color-coded... well I have yet to go back actually.

It was one of the biggest game changers in my classroom over the last year... if not the absolute biggest, most positive game changer.

Each of my students has a colored bin inside of their desk. It helps keep the insides of student desks organized.

We use our desks in the morning for calendar and for iPad time.

Inside of this bin, students house their headphones, iPad tray, and possibly a chewy. Inside of their desk, each student also has a pencil box of icons for their specials schedule.

On top of their desk is the schedule and on the front board we flip a chart that tells the student what day it is. Every morning, students change out their special and tell us where they are going.

Not only does it help students take control of their learning, but it helps us ( teachers and paras) remember who goes where on what day and when.

While I do not use these often, each of my students has their own absent work folder.

If a student is absent for more than one day, I will put important skill work they are missing inside of this folder for us to complete together when they come back.

Each of my students also has a shelf bin. Inside of this are their IEP Progress Monitoring Rings, a First Then board, sight word pockets, and other random supplies.

You can find the "Monday" sequence spelling (Days of the Week) activity in the Resource Library. There is also one for months of the year too.

Not only do my students have their own color-coded desk boxes, shelf bins, work spaces, IEP goal boxes, and iPad backgrounds... I keep each student's progress data and information in a color-coded binder by my desk.

Not only does it help me visually ( I mean, I can just grab a color and know it's the correct student), but having these binders readily available helps me with impromptu, and even scheduled, meetings with parents or admin.

I wanted to show you a sneak peak inside of my [FREE] Parent Contact Binder too.

To create color-coded sections inside of my PCL, I simply laminated pieces of cardstock... which you can laminate construction paper or Astrobrights paper too.

Every time I talk to a parent, I log the information inside of this binder - or at least I try to remember to. Mostly for parent phone calls and parent meetings (since there is a record of email and ARD meetings).

This video shares a deeper look inside the Parent Contact Log and how I use it.

I know it seems super easy and like all you need to do is go buy colored bins... which is half the battle.

On the other hand, you have to implement the use of them in your classroom and teach your students their color.

I also have a specific name for each "bin," which students need to learn for following directions (i.e., "go put that in your bin" versus "go put that in your box").
How do organize "the mess" in your classroom?
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Staying Organized in SPED { Color Coded Classroom } - Mrs. D's Corner

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Time to be honest. We deal with a lot of paperwork. Yep, I said it. I let our secret out. IEPs, FIEs, BIPs, progress monitoring, data collection on IEP goals and objectives... it all requires paperwork, and that's just on a slow day. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Over a single school has about 180 days, for teachers to teach about 130 standards. Subtracting field trip days, assembly days, and class parties it can sometimes be difficult to hit all of the required standards. It is not acceptable; however, to not meet all the required standards because you 'ran out of time. This is where thematic lesson plans come in handy. These lesson plans allow you to incorporate multiple standards in to one overall lesson, as a way to meet all the standards.

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Depending on what state you live in, teaching standards are accessed through the Department of Education website. For example, to locate Arizona standards, teachers can visit the AZDOE website and click on Schools & Teachers drop down tab, and choose K-12 standards.

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Naturally, the first day of school will not be the most content heavy day. It is still important; however, to start the year off right by planning from day one.

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This does not mean you have to business formal the whole year; however, you can only make one first impression on your students. Therefore, it is important to dress for success.

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Identify classroom management long before students arrive

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Identify classroom management long before students arrive

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The way your classroom is run will determine how organized your classroom stays. If you teach them good routines about putting things away and keeping everything where it belongs, it will be much easier on you.

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Believe it or not, many teachers do not have a substitute binder put together! (I would know, since I've been a sub before!) And honestly, it's completely understandable. There is so much information to put all together, and a substitute binder can easily become just another cumbersome task that keeps getting put off. However, it doesn't need to be that way!

Coming up with everything to include in your substitute binder is part of the daunting task, and I've done that part for you! Simply follow along with these steps, type up your information, and put it together in a sub binder. (I've even got a freebie to help you get started!)

Before you get started, you'll need the following materials (affiliate links included for your convenience, see disclosure):

Now that you know the materials you'll need, here's the information you'll want to include inside your sub binder!

Cover labeling the substitute binder

Including a cover on your substitute binder is important- not only because you can add some style to your binder- but it also clearly labels what it is. Have your sub binder labeled and placed somewhere that will be easy for the sub to find (such as on your desk or in the top drawer). Luckily, my sub binder includes an adorable cover that you can use to label your sub binder! Grab your freebie below.

Dividers & Tabs to Organize

Using dividers and tabs can help you get your sub binder organized! This makes it easy for your sub to find whatever information they need quickly. I used a hot glue gun to paste each divider to the back of the divider's sheet protector.

Note to your Sub

Include a note to your sub to thank them for being in your class. After all, they are making it so you can take a day off and taking care of your kiddos for you. You can also make this explain what is included in your substitute binder (and your plans) as an overview.

Schedules

Your sub will want to know the bell schedule and your normal schedule for the day. This will help the day run smoothly! Additionally, including a specials schedule can help your sub because then they will know if there are any activities (such as library, computers, P.E. or music) that they need to be aware of (this section is pictured above in the divider section). And last, but certainly not least, if you have an alternate schedule (such as an early release day), include this as well.

School & Staff Info

It's important for your sub to know who some important people are at the school. This includes other grade level teachers, the principal, the nurse, and the custodian. You should include anyone who your sub may need to contact during the day. This could be your sub's first time in your classroom- so it's important that they know some crucial things about it.

The school and staff info page is included as part of the substitute binder freebie as well! You'll also get access to my free resource library with sub plan mini lessons and more. Grab your freebie below if you haven't yet.

Class Information

Of course, you want to leave information about your class for your substitute! Including a seating chart is so important so the substitute can identify the students. You can also let your substitute now the number of students, etc. Most importantly, your sub should know how many students are in your class and the names of some "student helpers"- reliable students who they can count on to ask a question. You'll also want to include where the supplies and first aid kit are located.

You'll also want to include a class list. Obviously, this is important so your sub knows the students in the class! This can help for roll call as well as helping the sub to (somewhat) learn the names of your students. (Especially if they may be returning). Be sure to include a class list in your substitute binder.

And last, but not least, be sure to include student health info and other student needs. These can be very important for student's success and safety.

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

As a teacher, you know that arrival and dismissal are two of the craziest parts of the school day! We tend to have set procedures to make these times go as smoothly as possible- but the substitute doesn't know what the procedures for YOUR class are. Include them in your sub binder so the day can run as smoothly as possible!

Class Rules & Management Procedures

Let your sub know what the basic rules are in your classroom- as well as school-wide policies. This goes hand in hand with including behavior management procedures when students are not following the rules. Do you want the sub to do something in particular for behavior management (such as send them to another room)? Do you want them to leave you a note and you'll deal with it when you're back? Let them know! Also include classroom management procedures, such as attention prompts and how you transition, so the classroom can run as close to normal as possible while you're away.

Emergency Procedures

If (heaven forbid) an emergency were to happen while you're way, you would want your sub to know your procedures. Include routines for a fire drill (such as where to line up), potential natural disasters in your area (such as earthquakes, tornados, or hurricanes), and lockdown procedures.

Differentiation & Lesson Plan Adjustments (If Needed)

Is there any differentiation your sub will need to do for any of your students? Are you using any pre-made lessons (such as my Ready To Go Sub Plans or any other lesson from TpT) that you would like to be adjusted in any way? Include any differentiation or lesson adjustments that my be necessary, as well as any other notes you have for the sub.

Behavior Incentive

It is very common for student behavior to be worse for a substitute because routines are thrown off for the students. Leaving a behavior incentive that is special for substitute days can be a great incentive for good behavior. For example, I have substitute punch cards in my editable sub binder!

Substitute Notes Form

You want to know how the day went while you were away, right? When you leave a notes form for your sub, they are more likely to tell you what you'd like to know about the day. This is a great addition to your substitute binder!

By the way.. you can grab this adorable "How Did Your Day Go?" form in the freebie below if you haven't grabbed it yet!

And that's it! While that may seem like a ton of information, it's so important to have on hand because you never know when (or how long) a sub may need to be in your classroom. You can get started with your freebie by clicking the button above! If you would like the complete sub binder, with all of the pages pictured above, you can grab my full substitute binder here! It has quickly become my most popular resource, despite being one of my newer resources (at the time of writing this post). Teachers love how easy it is to fill in, how stylish it is, AND the low price! It is also available on TPT.

And if you haven't grabbed your freebie yet, be sure to grab it! You'll also get access to my FULL resource library- which not only includes the sub binder form sample but several substitute mini lessons, worksheets & activities, and more!

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How To Create a Brilliant Substitute Binder

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Believe it or not, many teachers do not have a substitute binder put together! (I would know, since I've been a sub before!) And honestly, it's completely understandable. There is so much information to put all together, and a substitute binder can easily become just another cumbersome task that keeps getting put off.

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Scholarly article on classroom organization

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Scholarly article on classroom organization

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"I know it has to be around here somewhere", you mumble while desperately rummaging through your desk, the filing cabinet, the book case, the storage compartments, and the twenty other places you stash things in the classroom. The teacher who asked for the papers is waiting, her foot begins tapping, and apparently something is wrong with her watch as she keeps looking at it and sighing.

Yes! You finally remember putting the unit on Clouds and Weather in the filing cabinet but is it filed under "C", "W" or "M" for meteorology? As you are digging through the files, sweat beads on your upper lip, that one annoying hair escapes from your ponytail and dangles in front of your eyes, and as you furiously flip past papers, you realize you filed it under "S" for sky.

This happens more often than you would like to admit. Why? The answer is simple: you are a teacher. Teachers have more paperwork, games, writing implements, paper, books, plans, books on plans, stickers, and arts accessories than two craft stores and a Target combined.

[Check out our article on how the classroom affects student learning.]

I Can't Find Anything!

Fear not, you are definitely not alone in this quandary. While some people are blessed with the innate knowledge of how to organize their daily events, spice racks, or shoe trees, many of us have to be taught or shown how to do so. While there are many ideas on how to organize, the act of organizing is a very personal endeavor. There is not a "one size fits all" implementation plan for managing classroom materials, students, or lesson plans, and much of it is trial and error.

Your Room is a Reflection of You

I remember as a first time teacher how excited I was to make the room mine. I was finally a teacher! Then I entered my first room, looked around, and had no idea where to start.

As an educator, your personality is going to shine through your room. If you are a messier individual, it should be no surprise if your room is cluttered, too. The same applies to those with a more simplistic view of organization. If you are a messier person that wants to be more organized, the following tips may be a help to you.

Where Do I Begin?

The easiest place to start is from within. You need to feel comfortable in your classroom. If you aren't pleased with your surroundings, chances are the students will not be either. Start with something easy, like your desk.

"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?" Albert Einstein

1. Your Desk

The first thing you will need to work on is your own work area. This is the hub of the classroom, and needs to be organized to your liking. Position your desk so you can see the classroom, and try to keep the items on your desk to a minimum. You want to model good managing skills for the students. If Tommy has a messy area, he can look to your desk for ideas on how to keep his clean. You also want to keep a space to grade papers, work with students, or just somewhere safe to set down your coffee.

2. Bins are the Best

You can find small bins that hold a few pencils, to large bins that can hold a few first graders, at most department or home improvement stores. Utilize these for the inside of your desk, especially the drawer in the front that holds the little things. Only put what you truly need in the desk drawers. All too often the desk, both top and insides can become a garbage dump of sorts for anything and everything.

3. Utilize Shelves

After some time a teacher is going to accumulate gifts, mementos, teddy bears, and coffee mugs from their students. The temptation to showcase these on the desk is a difficult one to resist. Check with the school administration before pulling out the electric drill, but wall mounted shelves (built or bought) save a lot of space in the classroom, and keeps your trophies out of the way of curious hands.

4. Make Your Substitute Teacher Folder A.S.A.P.

I was a teacher at my son's school seven years ago. The very first day of school on a Monday, my little 4th grader got hurt on the playground and horribly broke his wrist. Due to the nature of the injury, I could not return to school until Thursday. Imagine, as a teacher, missing almost the whole first week of classes. I had never anticipated such a crisis to happen and had no substitute teacher folder, and that poor lady really had to wing it those few days.

Since then, I made the folder before the first day of school, just in case. As a former substitute teacher, nothing compares to the panic felt upon walking into a room with no folder or guidance. The folder is a "two-fer"; it not only helps the substitute immensely, it saves valuable time for the teacher to not have to scramble each time a substitute is needed. The McGraw-Hill company has great forms for teachers to help organize the substitute's day.

5. Keep a Routine

It is no secret that a routine is the best course of action when it comes to managing and organizing the classroom. The first day of school is when the routines begin, but you need to know before schools starts how you want the room to run. You have many able-bodied and willing students that want to help, so enlist them. They can help put things away, clean up areas, throw away garbage, and wipe the boards clean.

6. Drying Racks

If you are teaching art or classes where you do crafts or paint use hanging drying racks. These help immensely in keeping the room neat along with keeping the projects safe. It also ensures the paint will dry evenly.

7. Keep Your Jars and Containers

If you use mason jars for canning, do not throw them away. They can be used in many different ways. They can be used to store wet (or dry) paint brushes, markers, broken crayons, or anything else you find to throw in the jar. Make sure to keep the lids so they can be stored on their sides.

Empty potato chip tubes, such as Pringles, are great to keep around also. They can hold bulletin board border, calendar numbers and shapes, bows, and stickers. These are handy if you need containers with lids.

8. Keep the Students in Line

Getting the students lined up quickly and efficiently is not as easy as it seems. There are squabbles over who gets to stand next to Tammy, who gets to be first, or even who is last. Nip this in the bud the first morning of school by giving each child a number or a letter. You can also tape either to the floor where you want your line to be so the students know exactly where to stand.

This is also helpful to the younger students to help them learn their numbers, or their alphabet. These numbers can also be used for posting grades while keeping a bit of anonymity.

9. Keep a Mailbox

Rather than pass out papers to the students all day, or try to ensure they receive important notes, invest in a mailbox for the classroom. You can use the students' numbers on the tabs to keep them organized. Assigning numbers or letters to each child is also handy in case a student leaves, or one is gained. Rather than try to re-alphabetize the mailboxes, just add another number or letter. This also helps the teacher know at the end of the day who did not take their paperwork home with them.

10. Keep Track of Class Participation

Using craft sticks or popsicle sticks, you can easily and fairly pick students to do tasks in the classroom. Rather than rely on raised hands, you can let the class know you will be picking sticks instead. This gives the more shy students a chance to shine, and the more outgoing students time to listen to others.

You can number the sticks with the same numbers in the classroom, or you can add a different color to each end of the stick and flip it over when that student has had their turn. You can also allow students to pick sticks, thus ending the temptation to pick a friend.

11. Plan Your Week Ahead of Time

Many school systems want lesson plans turned in to the administrator before the start of the next week. When doing your plans, use color coded folders to help keep track of your days. For instance, blue is for Monday, green for Tuesday, and so forth.

In each folder you can have the day's plans, worksheets, ideas, or anything else that is needed for the day, right at your fingertips. Make extra copies of worksheets, too, because someone will invariably lose theirs within four minutes of receiving one. Folders will also help a substitute teacher work through her day.

12. Crates

Crates work in many different capacities in the classroom. They can be used to hold folders, books, crafts, and paperwork. They can be stacked to save space and then flipped over to use as chairs. Austin, Texas music teacher Susan Rozanc uses them to organize her music for different ensembles. If a student forgets his music, they can go to the crate for a copy of the piece.

13. Library Sign Out Sheet

While you want to trust your little darlings with your materials, it is best to assume the worst case scenario - you will never see your books again. A library sign out sheet is a must if you want to keep a hold of your books. The students sign a book out, and cannot have another until that book is brought back.

14. Baby Food Jars

If you do not already have some jars, enlist friends to save theirs for you. Baby food jars are great for holding small items such as tacks, paper clips, staples, or erasers. They are also good for small craft projects or flipped over to teach younger ones to trace circles.

15. Make a "Where is It?" List

When you file items in a cabinet, drawer, desk, or bin, take the time to write down where you placed it. Using an Excel spreadsheet can help you do this. Label your column A as "item", then columns B and so on are where the item might be found.

In the number one spot, for example, write: "Weather lesson plans". Put an X in the box under the column of where to find it. The last column title should be labeled "notes" so you can mark specifics, such as "placed under C for Clouds". You can list your items more than once in case you forget what you labeled it, and in Excel alphabetize it each time you add something in order to find it quickly.

16. 6 Pack Holders

Do not throw away any 6 pack holders you may use. These can be doctored up with wrapping paper, contact paper, or tissue paper to be used for storage in the classroom. These can be used to keep markers, pencils, pens, and crayons handy for students. Great for craft centers, or even make one per child to have at their desk instead of pencil boxes.

17. Go Backwards

In order to keep a good flow to your lesson plans, it is a good idea to section the school books into fourths. Once you have done that, divide the number of pages by weeks in a quarter. This way you will know how much material is needed to get through for each quarter so you can finish the book.

This is also a good way to get to know the book, or if you have already used it, to remind yourself what worked and did not work with previous classes.

18. Keep Student Information Handy

Index cards are an invaluable source of organizing help in the classroom. These, along with an alphabetized insert, will enable you to keep track of students' birthdays, phone numbers, addresses, emails, best to time call their parents, and their allergies if they have any.

You can also keep track of their likes, dislikes, days absent, and what they succeed at doing. You can also take notes of what intervention they appear to need in order to discuss it with parents at conferences.

19. Write it Down

M any children are visual learners, and it helps to write on the board what the day's schedule entails. This will allow them to know what book needs to be ready at what time, and should help transitions be easier on everyone during the day.

20. Eliminate Messes

So, that probably made you laugh as we all know it is impossible to eliminate messes in the classroom, but you can make it easier on yourself and everyone with a few routines and imagination.

Spreading germs is a huge issue in the classroom, and by having a table with Kleenex and hand sanitizer together, you can teach the children to clean up even if they just blew their little noses one time. Tying a ribbon around an empty box of tissues and a new one so they are together can give the students an instant waste basket for their tissues.

You can also give each child their own empty Kleenex box to put under their desks, or attach a plastic baggie to the back of their chairs for their garbage. At the end of the day, they can dump them out, or throw them away, and hopefully that leaves you with less crumbs, dirt, pencil shavings, notebook paper edge crinkles, and dirty tissues.

That's It?

No, of course not! There is so much more to a teacher's day that needs to be organized. The ideas presented here are what worked well for me as a teacher in the elementary grades. I had no idea of what I did not know when I became a teacher of all the little tiny daily things that go on in a classroom that need to be reinforced.

When my mentor told me about the tissue box idea, I proclaimed her a genius. I would have assumed they knew to throw used tissues in the garbage can. She lifted one eyebrow, gave me a half smile, and said: "Oh, Carrie, you have no idea."

Boy, was she right.
Image source
Carrie Wible is an educator, writer, musician, and mother living in Northeast Ohio. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Kent State University, a teaching certificate in grades 1-8 from Youngstown State University and a Masters in Teaching and Learning with Technology from Ashford University. Carrie has been teaching music lessons and has taught in the classroom for a combined total of 25 years.

Connect with her @carriewible or +CarrieWible.

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20 Ways to Better Organize Your Classroom | InformED

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"I know it has to be around here somewhere", you mumble while desperately rummaging through your desk, the filing cabinet, the book case, the storage compartments, and the twenty other places you stash things in the classroom. The teacher who asked for the papers is waiting, her foot begins tapping, and apparently something is wrong...

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This where all of your work will be done and how you organize your day. If your desk is organized you will be too.

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When trying to organize it will get expensive with different bins, crates, folders, and containers. Check out the dollar store for tons of cheap tools!

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2. Or if you feel fancy, hang a shoe organizer on the wall with a bunch of power strips (safely connected, of course) to make a cell-phone daycare.

thebitsofbrit.com, Jennifer Jantz / pinterest.com

Read more about the rules that make this work here. If you want all of the phones turned in at the beginning of each class, use this system of counting each student as "present" only if their phone is in their assigned pocket.

5. Use oversize dice and a set of wide popsicle sticks for daily journal prompts and reading questions.

21. Stack a couple of cheap crates at each group of desks to use as shelves.

23. Designate a bin for students to drop their library books in when they're done with them.

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25 Dollar Store Teacher Tips You Prob Haven't Seen Yet

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2. Or if you feel fancy, hang a shoe organizer on the wall with a bunch of power strips (safely connected, of course) to make a cell-phone daycare. 5. Use oversize dice and a set of wide popsicle sticks for daily journal prompts and reading questions.

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This may seem obvious but instead of having stacks of paper or boxes of supplies use bins and shelves to keep organization and also to save space

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There will be opinions and stressful situations with some individuals, but by having a cooperative and open mind, there can be possibility of better relationship in the end (Denhof, 2017).

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Understanding your students and why they act the way they do or do the things they do will help you better be able to deal with the behavior. When teachers understand their students as people it encourages the students to talk to their teacher about anything that may be going on in their lives which may eliminate the problem before it even occurs.  ("Importance of Getting to Know Your Students," 2015).

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As a teacher, I try my best to grow and to learn. I read books about different areas of education, I attend school and district professional development, and try to collaborate with my colleagues to grow my practice. I have a confession to make, however. I don't learn nearly as much about teaching and learning than I do from the young people sitting in the desks in my classroom. The students I have this year, in particular, have been great teachers and I learn something new every day.

The other day I asked them, "What do you think teachers need to know? What advice do you think that I could give other teachers about how to improve?" It was an interesting discussion, and I may write about some of those things another time, but eventually, we finished up and moved on with our day. When school finished, one of the girls in my class, approached me once everyone had left and said, "You know, Mr. Schultz, I have been thinking about what you asked us earlier. I think the most important thing teachers need to know is how important it is to get to know their students."

Well now here was a topic I really wanted to sink my teeth into, so a couple of days later I asked the kids in my class two questions. The first was why it was important for teachers to get to know their students and the second was how teachers could go about getting to know their students better. I found their responses really insightful and wanted to share them.
Why is it important for teachers to get to know their students?
There were really two types of responses to this question. The first had to do with students as learners. They understood that a teacher that understood their strengths, weaknesses, and interests would be better able to help them to be successful academically. They knew that someone who knew them as a learner would be able to know what areas where they were struggling and be able to help them through those struggles or know the areas where they were strong and build on those strengths. The comment that hit home most in this regard was a boy that said, "It is important for the teachers to get to know their students because the more they get to know each student the better they can teach them, in a way that they will learn."

The other reason why students thought it was important for teachers to get to know their students was so that they would know them as people. They felt it was important for their teacher to know them so that they could help them when they were upset, having a difficult time with friends or the other things that were going on in their busy lives. They felt it was important to know and understand their interests, hobbies, and what was important to them so that a teacher could treat them with kindness and respect.
What are some of the ways that teachers should get to know their students?
Many of the answers to this question were what I expected. They talk about how teachers could have students write about themselves, fill out questionnaires, draw pictures of themselves, and other suggestions of that nature. Two responses, however, were simple, yet important to point out. The first? Talk to them. Have conversations with them on a regular basis. Talk to them about their learning, but not just about their learning. Talk to them about what interests them outside of the world of academics. The students thought it was important to be able to talk to their teachers about their hobbies and their friends and what sorts of music they liked so that they could get to know them as people.

The second piece of advice surprised me a little bit. What was it? Play with them. Students want teachers to play games with them. This could be games on the playground or in the classroom, but they were not talking about learning games. They were talking about fun. Students want teachers to have fun with them. Now there is a revolutionary idea in education!
Conclusion
There were a few things that I think are really important about what my students were telling me. The first was how important it is for teachers to know their students as learners and as teachers. Teachers who know how their kids learn can guide them and lead them to grow in their learning. Teachers who know their students as unique individuals can help them to navigate the often confusing and anxiety filled lives that they lead.

The second thing that teachers can take away from what my students told me was to have fun. Enjoy your time with your students. Talk to them. Play with them. Lighten up. I think this is a lesson that many of us still need to learn and I know that I hope to continue to have my students be my most important teachers.

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The Importance of Getting to Know Your Students

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As a teacher, I try my best to grow and to learn. I read books about different areas of education, I attend school and district professional development, and try to collaborate with my colleagues to grow my practice. I have a confession to make, however.

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1. Blurting out in class:
> Give the child an alternative behavior to blurting. For example, ask them to raise their hand or have a certain signal.
> Give the student sticky notes that they can write their comment on and discuss at a later time.
2. Can't sit still and like to take things:
> Teach them to ask to borrow
> Talk to the student individually, embarrassing them will only encourage the behavior
("How to Solve 8 Common Behavior Problems in the Classroom," 2018).

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Incessant pen clicking. Lashing out when things go wrong. Lying. And other classroom behavior problems common among students with ADHD - solved.

ADHD boy has bad classroom behavior and doodles in his notebook instead of taking notes at school

When we talk to educators, we tend to hear the same questions over and over again regarding managing classroom behavior for students with attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD).

How Can I Address Irritating Classroom Behaviors?

> Provide fidget toys for ADHD.
> Discuss behavior in private.
> Allow the student to daydream for 5-10 minutes after completing an assignment.

> Involve the child in the problem-solving process: "How can we solve the problem of..."
> Identify learning problems the child might have.
> Match the difficulty of an assignment with the skill level of the student.
> Sympathize - "Maybe you can help me understand some things. I think you would like to do well in school. Yet you seem to be avoiding your schoolwork. You must have a good reason. Let's talk."

How Can I Deal with a Student Who Argues and Talks Back?

> Ignore minor mutterings.
> Address academic deficits - successful students are less likely to argue or talk back.
> Anticipate when a student may challenge authority (a substitute teacher is present) and change the environment (train him to help the substitute).

How Can I Deal with a Student with ADHD Who Takes Things?

> Teach him to ask to borrow an object rather than take it without permission.
> Deal with the student privately, not publicly.
> Identify the type of items being taken and give the student an opportunity to earn the object.
[Free Worksheet: "What I Wish My Teachers Knew"]
How Can I Deal with a Student Who Has Angry Outbursts?

> Isolate the student and give him time to cool off ("Let's walk to the guidance office together").
> If anger is common, have a crisis plan in place.
> Designate a place in advance where he can sit and let off steam.
> Work with parents to develop a plan to help the child cope with his anger.

How Can I Deal with a Student with ADHD Who Does Not Tell the Truth?

> If he stretches the truth about academic matters, the work may be too hard or too long.
> If you know he's not telling the truth, don't ask a question, make a statement: "You hit Robert first." If you ask a question, the student may be tempted to make a smart comment.

How Can I Deal with a Student Who Is Late to Class

> Ignore it if the student is only one or two minutes late and if lateness occurs rarely.
> A raised eyebrow or a statement of expectations may be more effective than sending the student to the office ("This is the first time you've been late. I expect you to be on time from now on").
> Review the student's routine between classes. He may be going to his locker too often.

How Can I Deal with a Student Who Blurts Out in Class

> If the child takes ADHD medication, talk with his parents about making sure he doesn't miss a dose (medication is helpful for blurting out).
> Give a child an alternative behavior to blurting - have her raise her hand, and be sure to call on her immediately to reinforce it.
> Give the student a special pad for writing down her comment, and discuss it later with her.
[Daily Report Card: Your Secret Weapon for Better Behavior]

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How to Solve 8 Common Behavior Problems in the Classroom

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Incessant pen clicking. Lashing out when things go wrong. Lying. And other classroom behavior problems common among students with ADHD - solved. When we talk to educators, we tend to hear the same questions over and over again regarding managing classroom behavior for students with attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD).

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Engaging students on the first day of school will be vital to having a good first year. The first day will set the pace for the rest of the year so it's important for both you and your students to have a little fun. A great way to do this is to have your students get into groups and then make a team resume and interview. This is a great way to both get to know your students as well as have a little fun. ("Icebreakers - Printables, Games, Lessons, & Advice - TeacherVision," 2018).

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It is important to know that not everything is going to go the way you think it will or you think it should. Before the first day you set up your classrooms, write your lesson plans, and mentally prepare yourself for that moment when all those excited kids come rushing into your classroom but you aren't really prepared for what is to come. When those little ones come rushing into your room with eyes full of joy, excitement, and anticipation it is important to remember to have a sense of humor. To know that it is okay if things don't go your way but to just put one foot in front of another. (Shalaway, 2018).

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With all the excitement and anticipation of being a first-year teacher, there's often a sense of anxiety mixed in leading up to that first day. But have no fear! With these five essential resources for first-year teachers, you'll have everything you need to put your mind at ease, build confidence, and be fully prepared for your teaching journey.
Plus, raise money for your classroom by launching a campaign with Scholastic today!
Teaching Tools
Filled with helpful how-to articles, book lists, classroom activities, and free lesson ideas, Teaching Tools is the first-and most frequent-stop for any first-year teacher. Whether you're looking for the best books to improve classroom behavior or tips and strategies to help your students become stronger readers, Teaching Tools is the place for you. Updated weekly, this free teacher resource has answers and advice for first-year and veteran teachers alike. The Teacher Newsletter is a must-have resource for every teacher, from rookie to veteran.

Classroom Library Essentials
If you're a new teacher, setting up your classroom library is going to be at the top of your to-do list. A high-quality classroom library will not only have a tremendous impact on your students' reading success, it will help them build the skills necessary for success inside and outside the classroom, too. Of course, before you start building your classroom library, you'll need a plan. This post highlights 11 classroom library essentials and is a great resource to help you get started creating your very own classroom library!

Scholastic Book Clubs
First-year teachers always want to know the best and most affordable ways to stock their classroom libraries. While thrift stores and library book sales are a great place to start, Scholastic Book Clubs makes it easy to line your shelves with student favorites and sought-after titles. It's a great way to instill a love of reading among your students and earn free books for your classroom library at the same time. To start growing your classroom library, create an account with Scholastic Book Clubs today.

Professional Development Books
Whether you're looking for innovative ways to engage reluctant readers or are in need of some tips to teach essential math skills, these professional development books from Scholastic are a great resource to turn to. While you'll learn and grow each day you're in the classroom, these professional development books will help you reach all of your students and take your teaching to the next level.

Scholastic Teachables
During your first year of teaching, time is a precious commodity. With ready-to-go lessons and time-saving resources for every grade, subject, and skill level, Scholastic Teachables makes it easy to engage students with fun and enriching activities. It's a great tool for new teachers who love to plan ahead and are looking for inspiration for their own lessons. Sign up today and try Scholastic Teachables for free for 30 days.

These are just a few of the most essential teaching resources you can turn to as a new teacher. For more must-have books, tools, and classroom favorites to help you ease into your first year of teaching, check out these teacher resources from Scholastic.

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5 Essential Resources for First-Year Teachers

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With all the excitement and anticipation of being a first-year teacher, there's often a sense of anxiety mixed in leading up to that first day. But have no fear! With these five essential resources for first-year teachers, you'll have everything you need to put your mind at ease, build confidence, and be fully prepared for your teaching journey.

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Spending the whole day going over procedures. 

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Spending the whole day going over procedures. 

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Don't expect your students to learn all of your classroom rules and procedures on the first day. It is more effect to gradually incorporate them.

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It is important that a classroom has a positive climate and that it is a loving environment where everyone feels welcome and safe. In order for learning to occur a student must first feel safe and secure in order to learn and grow so that they can focus on learning and not on the problems going on at home or issues with their classmates in school. A loving classroom environment encourages students to takes risks and conquer challenges head on. (Mari, 2015)

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IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE CLASSROOM CLIMATE

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"Imagine spending several hours everyday in a place where you felt like a nobody." What a powerful statement. The primary responsibility of an educator should be to assure that no child ever feels like they are not worthy contributors in their classroom. Each child must feel a sense of belonging within the classroom.

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Most of us know that it is important to set expectations in your elementary school classrooms, but the real question is how do we do that. To begin with setting a routine is important so that there is consistency and so that students know what is to come. Once a routine is set up classroom jobs can be put into place, this is something that can be done on the first day of school so that students know what will be expected of them for the rest of the year. Lastly, when setting expectations on the first day it is important to teach the students what the consequences will be in your classroom for not living up to the expectations that you require. It is important to remember that explaining too many expectations all at once may overwhelm students, therefore you should make sure you are explaining only the mandatory rules.

(Betsy, 2015)

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You've created a close-knit, respectful, and polite classroom team. An excellent start! But there's more work to do - much more - in order to appropriately handle the student behavior (and misbehavior) you are soon to encounter.

Setting expectations

Building a strong team is the foundation, but the rest of the house is built with expectations. There is an awful lot that can be said about how to set expectations, but we will keep this discussion down to the basics.

You'll find yourself setting group expectations much more often than setting individual expectations. In general, you will set expectations for the group, then remind individuals about following them. So, let's work our way through a detailed session of setting expectations. This is the kind of session you might experience during the first couple of weeks of school when you are establishing new procedures.

Please don't think that these are only for new teachers kicking off a school year; these are also the types of expectation-setting sessions that you will undertake (for example) when your students are itching to get their hands on the new stream-table science kits! Dirt, water, mess... everything that kids love to play around with! Believe me, explicit expectations are critical to the success of a lesson like that.

Let's look at a real-world example to understand how the step-by-step procedure looks and sounds. I received this question through my website contact form:

"What is the most effective way to distribute equipment in a K-6 fitness class? I need an efficient plan to hand out equipment quickly and efficiently to all students."

Ah... a perfect scenario for our purposes: eager kids who are in the mood to play, being handed stuff to play with.

Teachers set student expectations all day long for all manner of tasks, but when we are talking about objects that can be quite tempting to throw/roll/lob at other kids, the stakes are higher. But the same level of temptation could apply to so many things; just replace basketballs with:

Therefore, setting classroom expectations for handling "stuff" takes a different kind of reinforcement than setting expectations for turning in papers or being quiet during a teacher read-aloud. But, if you know how to implement the process below, you'll easily be able to adapt it to less-problematic scenarios.

Don't think that this process is a short and simple recipe, some magic approach that engenders perfect discipline the first time. Nope. This takes time and repetition, but only upfront; after student expectations are set and habits are built, you earn back the time you initially invest.

Let's get started.

Step 1. Arrange the items logically

If the situation calls for it, put some thought into accessibility for the item(s) in question. In our fitness class example, that might mean lining up the balls on a bench before class. In your classroom, it could mean placing the clipboards in a bin by the whiteboard.

Remember, the kids themselves will have to get the items in question, so put yourself in their place (actually walk through the process) and figure out how to arrange things in order to avoid pushing and shoving, which leads me to the next step.

Step 2. Consider the flow

Do the students come up all at the same time? By two's or three's? In a single-file line? Ensure that your arrangement of items coordinates with the preferred process for getting them.

Step 3. Determine your student expectations

Base this upon your experience with the item in question... or grab a clipboard, ball, or jump-rope and see how much trouble you can get into with it! Jot down a few notes if needed, so you don't forget something. Now you are ready for the students.

Step 4. Overview the item and its use and care

Don't be afraid of humor! Give the item a name, call it your friend, say what makes your friend happy or unhappy... use your imagination. Make it brief, but cover all the bases on:

What it is

How it is used

Why it is used

What constitutes abuse

This is expectation-setting. Use the phrase, "My expectation is..." a few times so you can refer back to it (see step 8).

Step 5. Model the entire process

Don't just talk through the process - show them. Walk the path that they will walk, pick it up the way they should pick it up, use it in the correct manner, then put it away properly. Humans are visual learners, and many elementary students cannot easily translate verbal instructions to personal actions. Show them, and they are much more likely to get it.

Tip: How to hold something and walk with it can be a big deal when it comes to laptops or tablets, when dropping equals breaking.

Step 6. Model with a few assistants

Draft a few kids from the class to go through the same process you just completed. This time, you will be watching and gently correcting if (when!) they make mistakes.

Step 7. Guide the class through the process

Remind them of each step, from the initial line-up to where they will ultimately end up.

Step 8. Stop... go back... repeat

If it is not going well, start over. And I mean from the beginning. Put the stuff away, sit back down, remind them, and do it all over again.

Never let students practice a process wrong. If you do, you'll never get the performance you are hoping for. As stated above, invest the time now for dividends that last the entire year.

In extreme circumstances, you may spend the entire time you have allotted for your lesson practicing - or it may just seem like you did! And that's okay... sometimes we just have to out-wait the naughties.

Also, be open to altering the process; students may have ideas for shaving seconds off a routine once they understand the goal.

That's the full process. Apply it in varying measures to every expectation you set. Not everything may require all eight steps, but many things will. If things start to slip over time: repeat, repeat, repeat. Any time expectations are not being met, take the entire class through the process again.

You'll find yourself saying the same phrase many times throughout the school year:

"My expectation is that you will..."

Video tips: expectation setting explained

And even more expectations

The situations in which expectations must be established are too numerous to list in detail, but some activities from a typical day will give you an idea of what's involved. This is just a small taste of the comprehensive web of expectations I weave to maintain order:

How to walk into the building

How to store coats and backpacks

How to get chairs down from desks

How to check in on the interactive whiteboard

How to hand in homework

How to work on and turn in the entry task (bell work)

That covers about the first fifteen minutes of the day, and you can already see the premium I place on setting expectations! The expectations for every one of these activities were explained in detail and modeled more than once so that there would be no questions at all about how to do them properly.

I could sum it up by saying that the list of activities the kids do without an expectation-setting session would have no more than ten items on it, and they would be things the kids have learned from earlier grades, such as how to go through the lunch line - although I have practiced this with fifth-grade classes when needed!

Your first week of school has lots of expectation-setting sessions; your first month has lots of reminder sessions; the entire year has mini-sessions for new situations. You cannot expect kids to behave in the proper way if you have not explained and shown what the proper way looks like, and held every student accountable for doing it right.

And, if you really want to experience an intensive expectation-setting day, tag along on one of my field trips! Or check out how I set expectations for a holiday event.

Notes for student teachers

If you are working through your student-teacher practicum, you'll still have plenty of opportunities; your expectation-setting sessions will come before you do your first read-aloud, your first lesson, your first transition between subjects, or your first line-up.

Reminders

"Are you meeting expectations?"

"What are the expectations for this activity?"

The question approach is much better than saying, "You are not meeting expectations," because it requires self-reflection. Any time you require a student to reflect or question themselves before responding, you are reinforcing learning to the greatest extent possible - and this applies to curricula and behavior.

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How to Set Expectations in Your Elementary Classroom

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You've created a close-knit, respectful, and polite classroom team. An excellent start! But there's more work to do - much more - in order to appropriately handle the student behavior (and misbehavior) you are soon to encounter. Building a strong team is the foundation, but the rest of the house is built with expectations.

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It is important to make sure that you are prepared for the first day and all of the issues that may come with it. To begin with you will need to set up your desks. When doing this is it going to be important to consider what design you want. For younger students it might be better to have groups so that they can work together. For older students such as high schoolers it might be more beneficial for them to be set up in rows or pairs. Next comes the seating chart, it is important when you have younger students to have this set up before meet the teacher so that they know before the first day. Next the lesson plans have to get written. These should include everything you are completing that day including get to know you activities and procedures. The last thing you need to do is set up your classroom. Make sure when doing this that you leave room to hang up all your students work.
("Surviving Your First Day of Class | Centre for Teaching Excellence," 2017)

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The first day of class sets the tone for the rest of the term. The following suggestions outline general strategies and address two important tasks of the first day: handling administrative matters and setting course expectations. For tips on how to create a positive classroom atmosphere, please refer to the Centre for Teaching Excellence handout on classroom management.

General strategies

Visit the classroom before the first meeting. Get comfortable speaking in the room and see how well your voice carries. Check any audiovisual equipment you will be using and make sure your handwriting is legible from the back of the classroom. Create a discussion forum for frequently asked questions in the course website to make it easy for students to ask you questions.

Build a sense of community in the classroom. Make an effort to get to know your students and express your interest in working with them during the semester.

Address students' concerns. Use the first day to help your students understand how the class will serve their needs and demonstrate your commitment to helping them learn.

Set a positive tone for the term. Greet students when they enter the classroom, encourage questions, give students the opportunity to talk, and stay after class to answer questions.

Make the time worthwhile. Once administrative tasks are completed, plunge into substantive material so that your students know you are serious about making progress at each session.

Administrative tasks

Write the course name and number on the board. This message will alert any students who are in the wrong classroom to leave before you begin.

Mention departmental course policies. Explain procedures for waiting lists, adding and dropping courses, and so on. Know where to refer students with such problems.

Explain the procedures for the course's sections. If your course consists of multiple tutorial sections, describe the relationship between the course and its tutorial, and how tutorials will be run. It is also beneficial to have the teaching assistants introduce themselves.

Review any prerequisites for the course. Let students know what skills or knowledge they are expected to have and whether alternate experience or course work will be accepted. Is help available for those who do not possess all the prerequisites?

Define your expectations for student participation. Besides submitting written assignments and taking exams, what do you expect of students during class?

Tell students about campus policies on academic integrity. State your expectations, and let students know what you regard as cheating and impermissible collaboration.

Hand out and discuss the course syllabus. Hearing questions about the course or the instructor on the first day identifies the concerns that are uppermost in the students' minds.

Invite students to attend your office hours. Be sure students know where your office is located and encourage them to stop by with questions and course-related problems. Determine the best time during the week for "online" office hours.

Review safety precautions and emergency procedures. If your course requires lab work or fieldwork, review safe practices for using equipment and supplies and discuss emergency procedures.

Bring copies of the required texts to the first class meeting. Know which stores besides the campus bookstore carry the texts. Are used copies available? Is the textbook on reserve in the library?

Setting course expectations and standards

Discuss the objectives of the course. As specifically as possible, tell your students what you wish to accomplish and why, but also inquire what they wish to learn and what problems they would like to tackle. Ask students, in small groups or individually, to list the goals they hope to achieve by taking the course. Use these lists to identify your class's interests and anticipated problem areas.

Describe how you propose to spend class time. How will sessions be structured and how will discussions be organized? When is it appropriate to ask questions?

Give your students ideas about how to study and prepare for class. Tell your students how much time they will need to study for the course and let them know about campus academic support services.

Ask students to do a group exercise. Select a key word from the course title and have students generate word associations or related ideas. Put their responses on the board and use the list to give a thematic overview of the course.

Work through a problem or piece of material that illustrates the course content. Engaging students in actual work during the first class session gives them an idea of what your class will be like.

Give an assignment for the next class session. By moving immediately into the first topic, you are indicating to students that the course is worthwhile, well organized, and well paced. Make sure that the assignment is ungraded, however, because students may be adding or dropping your course during the first weeks.

Ask students to write their reactions to the first day. Take two minutes at the end of class to have students jot down unsigned comments about what went well and what questions they have about the course, or set up a short anonymous online survey to achieve the same outcome.

(Adapted from Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis)

This Creative Commons license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as they credit us and indicate if changes were made. Use this citation format: Surviving Your First Day of Class. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo.

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Surviving Your First Day of Class | Centre for Teaching Excellence

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The first day of class sets the tone for the rest of the term. The following suggestions outline general strategies and address two important tasks of the first day: handling administrative matters and setting course expectations. For tips on how to create a positive classroom atmosphere, please refer to the Centre for Teaching Excellence handout on classroom management.

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Naturally, the first day of school is fun and exciting for both students and teachers alike. However, new teachers should avoid intentionally making the first day a 'party day'. It is crucial to create a structured classroom environment right of the bat, or else students become out of control.

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Be empathetic and understand that each home is different. Take into account that there will be some families where the dynamic is much more complicated than some (Eichholz, 2017).
Another great thing to do is get the advice and suggestion from the parents. Not only does this encourage communication it also gives you less to untangle down the road.

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A veteran teacher shares what she’s learned in the course of 26 years. Big picture: A little empathy goes a long way.

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Flexible seating is one way to give your students with behavior problems an outlet. This idea is where students have several different options of seating so that they don't feel confined to one space. This allows them to fidget while getting work done and to feel a sense of control.  (Snape, 2017).

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Written by Cassie (Teach Starter)
Posted Wednesday August 23, 2017

Do you use flexible seating in the classroom or do you know someone who does? This awesome infographic clearly answers some common questions:

What is flexible seating?

What are the benefits of flexible seating?

What rules are needed in a flexible seating classroom?

How do I set up flexible seating?

With direct quotes from students who learn in a flexible seating environment every day, you can also download this infographic as a set of four printable posters for free!
Sources:

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Benefits of Flexible Seating in the Classroom | FREE Printable Posters

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Written by Cassie (Teach Starter) Posted Wednesday August 23, 2017 Do you use flexible seating in the classroom or do you know someone who does? This awesome infographic clearly answers some common questions: What is flexible seating? What are the benefits of flexible seating? What rules are needed in a flexible seating classroom?

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Go to other teachers and ask them where they found inspiration. Going to a person of experience is much easier than being off of intuition (Davis, 2016).

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Knowing where to go and how to find the answers that you are looking for is key. By asking and gaining information from peers and other resources, the ability to get a better feel for teaching may become much easier (Denhof, 2017).

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I'm thrilled to introduce Shelby Denhof, who will be letting us follow her first year of teaching in a series of written and video diary entries. To see all entries in the series, click here.

I'm writing this from my own desk in my own classroom. Mine. I was offered a 7th grade English Language Arts position three weeks ago and this is my first time in my classroom.

From my chair, I see bare walls, clean marker boards, and rows of desks. When I open drawers and cupboards, I find remnants of the teacher before me: three pads of sticky notes, a handful of paper clips, and a file cabinet stuffed to the brim with who knows what. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but sitting at this desk feels like a success in itself.

I'm about to start my first year of teaching.

A lot came before this. In college, I worked in a number of traditional and nontraditional learning environments: I've been a sixth-grade camp counselor, an after-school P.E. teacher, a literacy tutor, an intern with the Lake Michigan Writing Project, a German instructor. I set out to garner as much experience as I could working with kids before graduating. For student teaching, I had the privilege of working with the person I consider to be my long-time mentor and role model and I taught English and German at the high school level. After student teaching, I was immediately hired as a paraprofessional for a high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There, I worked primarily with kids labeled "at risk," as well as special needs students and English language learners. I learned more there than I ever did in college.

All of these experiences taught me something and helped form who I am as an educator, but few prepared me for working with middle schoolers. This will be a new adventure entirely.

Since I began writing this entry, I've begun to fill my shelves with books for my students to read. I wrote a quote on the board. I organized a cabinet. Like I said, there's a lot to do, and that's not even with the curriculum.

It's taken me a long time to decide how to arrange my desks. I don't enjoy rows because I find that rows aren't conducive to group work or sharing with peers in any way, but I'm going back and forth on how to clump the desks together, debating between stations of two, stations of four, or creating a horseshoe-shaped arrangement. For now, I've committed to creating stations of four, making it easy to do think-pair-share activities, share journals, and play games, which I love incorporating in my lessons to get kids actively learning and participating. My biggest doubt about this setup has to do with classroom management. With the desks being so close together in their groups, I have a fear in the back of my head that kids will find talking to their peers irresistible or maybe even share work. For now, though, I'm going to give this setup a try while I figure out what works best for me and my students.

I'm overwhelmed with the number of hopes and goals I have for my first year. I want my kids to read more, write more, and speak more. I want to make learning more interactive with in-class debates, discussions, and games. I want to incorporate articles of the week and journaling to propel meaningful conversation. I want to embed service learning into what we do as a class. The list goes on.

But I need to take a breath. I've been told before that beginning teachers should focus on doing one or two new things really well instead of doing many new things haphazardly. Now, I'm a "go big or go home" kind of person, but that advice speaks some truth to me. When I was student teaching, I gave it my all; the classes were mine to do what I wanted with them and my cooperating teachers gave me an absurd amount of freedom. I put everything I had into making those classes rock, consistently working thirteen hour days, and I'd find myself crying out of stress at least once a week. Best case scenario would be a few tears on Sunday evening, feeling overwhelmed with planning and grading. Worst case scenario would be a time like one weekend where I received a minor injury that required stitches; the whole hospital process backed up my schedule so badly, I couldn't do any of the work I needed to to survive the week (or, that's at least how it felt), and I became a bucket of tears. Any small hiccup-stitches or not-was a threat to my fragile, inefficient system. The heavy pile of obligations was too much at points because I was working just days ahead of my students. Now, student teaching really was a big success for me, but is that lifestyle sustainable? Heck no. And I'm not going to let myself get like that again.

Therefore, time management is my biggest goal for the year. I need to make the clock my boss and cut myself off from working at a certain point. If I have a lot of time to work on something, I won't stop. I desperately need to get better at creating quality lesson- and unit plans and grading within a reasonable amount of time. I'm also giving Saturdays back to myself-one day a week with no school obligations. We'll see how long that lasts, but it's a solid step to keeping me sane this year.

Just as important for my sanity, I need to maintain the mindset that I have value, even as a newbie. I'm the only first-year teacher at my school in a sea of seasoned professionals. That intimidates me. Thoughts run through my mind if they'll accept me and take me seriously. At low points, I question what I have to offer.

The thing is, though, when I really think about it, I have unique experiences, most coming from working with at-risk youth. My principal highlighted how excited he is to have me on the team because of my youth and enthusiasm. The superintendent mentioned how thrilled he is to have me on board because I offer the opportunity to expand German in the middle school as well. Many times, what seems normal to me can be completely new to my more experienced colleagues. I already saw that when I shared the reading comprehension strategies I use with students to members of my department. As a new teacher, I have a completely different perspective than those around me and I think that kind of diversity in thought is going to be valuable to the school. I just need to trust myself with my ideas as well as be open to the advice of others.

Now I'm back at my desk, nearly invisible under piles of books and folders and dusty supplies. Outside my window, I see two boys skateboarding on the sidewalk. I wonder if they'll be students of mine in just a few short weeks. I can't help but smile at that thought. So much needs to happen between now and the first day of school, but I feel oddly at peace. I'm about to leave my classroom for the day, but I'll be back tomorrow. I shut off the lights and take one last peek at my room before closing the door. ♦

If you're a new teacher, the Cult of Pedagogy New Teacher Checklist will provide a structure to follow as you progress through the school year. To download a free copy, just sign up for my mailing list. You'll get the checklist, plus all the other free downloads in my Members-Only Library. (If you're already a subscriber and want this resource, just check your most recent email for a link to the Members-Only Library!)

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Diary of a First-Year Teacher: Setting Goals

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"When I was student teaching, I gave it my all, consistently working thirteen hour days, and I'd find myself crying out of stress at least once a week. But is that lifestyle sustainable? Heck no. And I'm not going to let myself get like that again."

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There is always room to improve and grow. Each year will be different, therefore the need to e proactive is an important piece of communication (Eichholz, 2017). Be attentive with the new things that are in the words.

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Feedback and advice will be a huge part in the development and growth in communicating with a class, individual, or coworker (Denhof, 2017).

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Do not hold things back. Whether that is a question, misunderstanding, frustration, or confused thought, the important thing to do is be open and honest about what it is that may cause tension or relief.
It is also important to ignore some feelings and not take things personally (Eichholz, 2017). Instead, try viewing things from the perspective of the student or the parent. Yes, there will some problem children, but they are as much entitled to there opinions than anyone.

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Letting the little things go or laying down the law. 

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Letting the little things go or laying down the law. 

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It is important to find a happy medium between being a pushover or a stickler. Your students need to learn that they can not get away with misbehavior; however, giving them ridiculous punishments to demonstrate your authority is not a helpful approach either.

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The bell rings and the students come pouring in to the first day of school. Excitement and a bit of chaos fill the air as well as some nervous anticipation - not just from the students but also from the teachers.

Yes, the first day of school is extremely exciting, but those first few hours with your students are also critically important. In fact, they can actually make or break the entire school year.

10 Things Not to Do on the First Day of School

1. Let the little things go. The biggest mistake I made during my first year of teaching was letting little things go. A little talking here, a student with their head down there - no biggie, right? Wrong. When we let the little things go, we give our students the impression that we either don't notice or don't care about their behavior. And the problem is that those little things won't stay little; they'll quickly escalate to full-blown problems. The answer? Simply address the small things with a simple statement such as "Greg, please sit up. Thank you." Check out my post "The Tiny Mistake that Could Ruin Your Whole Year" for more details on this topic.

2. Lay down the law. My personality doesn't lean this direction, but I've seen teachers, in an attempt to avoid letting the little things go, take the opposite extreme. They decide they need to lay down the law and show the kids who's boss. So they jump on any small infraction and whack the kids with the biggest punishment possible to show them that they will not tolerate misbehavior. This isn't a wise approach either. Yes, you need to address the little things, but often all that's needed is a verbal correction. And if consequences are in order, give appropriate ones; don't inflate them just to scare the students. Check out my posts "Should Teachers Lay Down the Law?" for more thoughts about this.

3. Make it a "fun day." Okay, yes, the first day of school should be kind of fun and exciting. But you shouldn't intentionally make it a "fun day" or a "party day." If you do, you are setting a very bad precedent and are just asking for your students to be out of control. Instead, start off the school year as structured as possible. Then, once the students are used to structure you should be able to add in some fun activities without losing control.

4. Go over all your procedures. Please don't torture your students by spending the whole class going over a sheet that contains all your procedures. This is so boring, and it's probably also what every other teacher is doing. Yes, you absolutely need to teach your procedures, but you should teach them as they come up, not all at once on the first day. And if you have procedures written on a handout, just let your students read them for homework. (p.s. if you're wondering how to teach procedures, check out my posts "How to Teach Procedures that Your Students Will Actually Follow.")

5. Spend more than 30 seconds talking about fire drills. Okay, if you teach elementary you might be justified in taking more like 2-5 minutes. But for middle school and high school, please don't. Just don't. These poor students are hearing about fire drills in every class, and it's not like they've never done one before. Furthermore, it's not as if they're going to remember exactly which direction they're supposed to leave the building in each of their 8 classes. Instead, go over fire drill procedures as quickly as possible. Then later in the week you can go over them in more detail when the students' brains aren't being overloaded with procedures.

6. Dress down. Even if you typically dress somewhat casually, the first day of school is not the time to dress down. Your students only get one first impression of you, so the first day of school is the time to pull out the most professional outfit you have. Check out the posts "Do Teachers Really Need to Dress Professionally?" and "How to Dress Professionally on a Teachers' Income" for more thoughts on when dressing professionally actually matters and how to do it on a budget.

7. Just wing it. If you try to wing the first day of school you will probably survive it just fine, but you're also wasting an incredible opportunity to start the year off right. Instead, plan every minute so that you are prepared, confident, and organized. The best way to start class is to have some type of simple assignment ready for the students as they enter the class. This will keep them occupied while you deal with the inevitable confusions of the first few moments of class.

8. Let students choose their own seats. Even if you plan to allow students to choose their own seats at some point in the future, you still want to assign seats on the first day. Why? First, because it will help you learn their names more quickly. And, second, because allowing them to choose seats and then trying to figure out who is in which seat wastes a whole lot of time. In addition to having a seating chart ready, plan a way to tell students their seats as they enter class instead of after they've already sat down. For example, have the seating chart displayed on a smart board or projector. Or, have each students' name and seat number on a post-it note on the wall so they can quickly find theirs and locate their seat.

9. Pass out textbooks one by one. This may not seem like a big deal, but it can really waste a lot of time to call your students out one by one to come up and receive their textbook. Instead, come up with a way to hand them out quickly. I typically had them set out at the end of each row, and the students would simply pick up their stack and pass them back. This means I invested time beforehand writing down all the #'s and putting each student's name in their book, but it was worth it to help streamline the process.

Your goal should be to actually teach something in each class.

10. Waste a single moment. Plan through each procedure and activity and find the way to do it as efficiently as possible. Your goal should be to actually teach something in each class. And that's not going to happen unless you're very intentional about being incredibly efficient and focused.

Be Ready to Go on Day One

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Subscribe to the Teach 4 ﻿the﻿ Heart Podcast. The bell rings and the students come pouring in to the first day of school. Excitement and a bit of chaos fill the air as well as some nervous anticipation - not just from the students but also from the teachers.

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Regarding students, it is important to both understand and take note of the things that may affect them the most. Communication is key, and a lot of the time there can be disconnection between teacher and students. Being open and verbal with your expectations and concerns can be a notifier for them to do the same.