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The Most Important Thing You Can Do During the First Weeks of School

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The Most Important Thing You Can Do During the First Weeks of School

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Link: https://teachingstrategies.com/blog/creating-nurturing-classroom-environment/

This blog offers advice about the first weeks of school through a personal retelling of effective strategies used for a student who was seen by her peers as mean. The author emphasizes how strategies like creating a nurturing classroom community, asking focused questions that demonstrate procedures for classroom discussions, creating shared expectations, and establishing rules can make students more comfortable. With these strategies, the first weeks of school will act as a test run for expectations for the rest of the school year.

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I'll call her "Annie." I noticed her the year before, when I knew she would be joining my classroom the next year. She had a permanent scowl and always seemed to be separated from other children "to avoid disruption." "Prepare yourself," her teacher warned when she learned "Annie" was transitioning to my room the next year.

The first day of school, several children from her previous class explained that Annie couldn't sit with certain children, that she was "mean," and that she needed to be near a teacher at all times to "behave."

My heart broke. How could this child possibly feel safe and secure in our classroom community if her peers had already decided she was "mean" and unapproachable? I took a deep breath and explained to the group that this was a new year. I didn't know them; they didn't know me. Together, we would create a new classroom family. I explained that this was a fresh start and that they could be whoever they wanted to be this year. I wasn't sure whether the children would understand my words, but I saw Annie's face soften and her shoulders lower. I hoped that she was relaxing and feeling optimistic about being a part of our classroom community.

Create a safe and nurturing classroom community.

I was determined to create a positive, nurturing classroom community-for every child. When we created our classroom rules together, I made sure to spend a lot of time emphasizing what "be kind" looks like, sounds like, and feels like. I knew we would have to work a lot on compassion, respect, and understanding. Within days, Annie was laughing and playing happily with all the other children. After a few weeks, when we read a story about a little girl who comforts herself with her late grandmother's blanket, it was Annie who said, "It's because the blanket feels like her grandmother's arms around her." Her comment brought tears to my eyes. Would the Annie that I'd seen last year, who was always yelling and scowling, have been able to share such a tender thought? That's when I knew she felt safe and secure in the class.

Creating a warm, nurturing, loving, and supportive classroom community is far and away the most important thing we can do for children during the first few weeks of school. Positive relationships are at the heart of everything we do as teachers. The messages we convey to children at the beginning of the year lay the foundation for a successful and meaningful school year, and they also leave a lasting impression that will guide children's approaches to learning for the rest of their lives.

Teach with love.

How children feel is just as important as how they think and learn. When we teach with love, we teach children to love learning for its own sake. Children will enter your classroom with varying levels of experience with group settings. Some children, like Annie, may have had a difficult experience in the past, but all children will be wondering about what lies ahead: Who do I need to know at school? What if I get sad or scared? What can I do at school? What are the rules? What happens at school?

These questions inspire investigations and "focus questions" for structuring classroom discussions and learning experiences during the first few weeks of school.

Focus Question 1. What names do we need to know at school?

Focus Question 2. What should we do if we get sad or scared at school?

Focus Question 3. What are our rules?

Focus Question 4. When do things happen at school?

Focus Question 5. Who works at our school?

Focus Question 6. How do we make and keep friends? How can we be part of a group?

This Teaching Guide, available for both preschool and kindergarten, empowers teachers to address each question intentionally with children through engaging, developmentally appropriate experiences. Daily plans for each part of the day offer step-by-step support to help them lay the foundation for a positive classroom experience for all children.

Notice, for instance, that children first learn about the other people at school and how to ask for emotional support if they get sad or scared. Devoting two weeks to these questions allows children plenty of time to get accustomed to their new peers, their teachers, the classroom materials, and the schedules and routines. Once they feel more comfortable in their new learning environment, they will be better prepared to work together to create a set of rules, rights, and responsibilities.

Create shared expectations and establish rules.

When that process begins, the Teaching Guide provides embedded support for creating shared classroom expectations with children. For example, the blue text in this call-out box offers strategies for "solving problems and establishing rules as a group" during large-group time.

I used this same strategy to help Annie. Though we had established rules about "being kind," I noticed that, when children were playing, Annie would watch and then take the materials away from the children who were using them. I suspected she didn't know how to appropriately join a group. I spoke with her about how to ask for a turn and how to join groups of children in play, but I knew that the whole class would benefit from this type of social problem-solving. During large-group roundup, I asked the class what we could do to make sure everyone got a chance to use the classroom materials during choice time. Annie listened quietly to her classmates' ideas about sharing and taking turns. Soon, all the children agreed to an "ask and wait" plan. Children demonstrated what it looked like and sounded like to "ask" and then "wait" for a turn.

The next day, we talked about our new "ask and wait" plan and put it into practice during choice time. Though the "wait" part was difficult, they had all agreed to the rule and reminded each other of the expectation. Annie slowly began to try the approach after watching her peers. She wanted to be a part of the group but hadn't learned how. She just needed clear instructions in these social-emotional skills.

Support the individual AND the group.

The experiences in The First Six Weeks: Building Your Classroom Community Teaching Guide are designed to help individual children like Annie develop the social-emotional skills they need to become part of the classroom community as well as to build a group sense of community.

The Annie who hugged me with tears in her eyes on the last day of school was a very different child than the one I'd met on the first day of school. She laughed and joined others in play. She had friends. She was part of our classroom family.

How are you preparing for the school year?

Keep children like Annie in mind as you prepare for your school year. Your acceptance and guidance might be what they need to blossom! And be sure to let us know how you're preparing for the first six weeks of school in the comments below.

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The First Six Weeks of School: Creating a Nurturing Classroom Environment | Teaching Strategies Blog

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Creating a warm, nurturing, loving, and supportive classroom community is far and away the most important thing we can do for children during the first six weeks of school. See how you can do this successfully for your classroom, even when faced with challenges.

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Miss Nelson is Missing!  by Harry Allard

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Miss Nelson is Missing!  by Harry Allard

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Brief Summary: Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard and James Marshall is a humorous children's book about a sweet and gentle teacher, Miss Nelson, whose misbehaving class takes her for granted. One day, she mysteriously disappears and is replaced by the strict and frightening substitute, Miss Viola Swamp. The students quickly regret their bad behavior and begin searching for Miss Nelson. In the end, Miss Nelson returns, and the students are thrilled—and much better behaved.

Discussion Questions:

How do you want to feel in our classroom? How can we create an environment like that?

Were Miss Nelson's students respectful to her? Was Miss Viola Swamp respectful to her students? What does respect look like?

What things have your favorite teachers done to make you feel welcome?

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"MISS NELSON IS MISSING" by Harry Allard READ ALOUD

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Summary: First Day Jitters brings the audience through Sarah Jane Hartwell's anticipation for the first day of school. It highlights what it feels like to attend a new school year and the anxiety that surrounds this crucial point of the school year.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some strategies that schools can use to make the first day less anxiety-filled for students or teachers?

2. How does this twist at the end change the story? How does this help students get a better understanding of their teachers?

3. How do you think the story would continue if it followed the full first week of school?

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📚READ ALOUD: First Day Jitters By Julie Danneberg #firstdayjitters

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1. Link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Email-Etiquette-Mini-Lesson-For-MSHS-Students-8452995

2. Lesson Description: This lesson teaches students expectations for how to send professional and polite emails. The lesson includes examples of bad emails for students to correct and examples of good emails for students. As an exit ticket, students are asked to send a practice email to their teacher about their summer.

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FREE Email Etiquette Mini- Lesson For MS/HS Students | TPT

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Setting Classroom Expectations the First Week of School

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Setting Classroom Expectations the First Week of School

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Link: https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/setting-classroom-expectations/

This blog post offers advice that we can use in the classroom, such as planning for fun, making connections with students, and letting students know that every day is a new day for them. By following this advice, we can set up a classroom environment that focuses on building relationships with students from the very first day of school. Getting to know the students, letting the students get to know you, and recognizing positive behavior from the get-go sets the tone for a positive classroom environment.

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The first week of school can be the starting point for a positive school year if you prioritize the right things - relationships, routines, and classroom expectations. As you and your students settle in during the first week of school, you have a unique opportunity to chart a course for a successful year. Establishing classroom expectations will allow you and your students to begin the school year on a positive note!

Let's take a look at how relationships, routines, and expectations form the foundation for a successful school year:

Relationships

Perhaps the most powerful way to impact the lives of your students is by developing positive relationships with them. Every student can benefit from a positive relationship with their teacher. For some, this may be one of the few positive interactions they have with an adult at any level.

Routines

Knowing what to expect each day in the classroom can have a profound effect on student success. Even though students are brimming with energy, they still want the security that comes from consistency in daily routines. Daily activities benefit from structure, from the time your students enter your classroom until they go home at the end of the day.

Classroom Expectations

Your students want to know what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. Developing classroom expectations that mirror the larger schoolwide goals of your PBIS initiative will help promote positive behaviors in and out of the classroom. Establishing expectations over rules can help your students to develop the tools they need to be successful everywhere they go.

Great Ideas for the First Week of School... and Beyond

What are some ways to create a positive classroom environment? The first week of school is critical for setting the tone for the entire year.

A Clean Slate Every Day

When you get the first glimpse of your class roster, you may recognize a few names already. You may have had an older sibling in your class, or you may know them by reputation only. There may be students from different cultural backgrounds or those with IEPs. Whatever challenges lie ahead, commit to resetting every day with your class. Anyone can have an "off" day and knowing they can start fresh every day will help your students move forward with positivity.

Let Them Get to Know You

Some students come into the classroom hungry for connection. Others may not have had positive interactions with teachers in the past. Encourage connection and positive interactions by letting your students get to know you. While you're doing icebreaker activities at the beginning of the year, add your answers into the mix. You may find common ground with a student over a sports team, favorite food, TV show, or animal. Put up photos of your family and pets, so that they can see who you are outside of the classroom. Sharing this kind of information can help make you feel more approachable.

Get to Know Them

Don't let familiarity get in the way of really getting to know your students. Making connections can boost positive relationships. Find out what they are passionate about. Learn what makes them tick. Discover their strengths and encourage them in developing those strengths. Students want to feel seen and accepted, both by their teacher and by their peers. Lead the way by acknowledging the aspects that make them unique and celebrating those characteristics.

Plan for Fun

Always make room for fun in your classroom. A positive classroom environment allows students to feel more comfortable engaging with their classmates, trying new things, and connecting with you. Even lesson reviews can be made fun if you engage students in interesting ways. You can incorporate fun into your classroom during transitions or whenever you have a short window of time for a brain break.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

You've heard it a thousand different times in a thousand different ways - relationships make all the difference. Taking the time to begin building those relationships during the first week of school will impact the entire school year. Getting to know your students and recognizing positive behaviors allows this very important work to begin on the first day. That's where a PBIS initiative can be incredibly helpful.

Behavior expectations in a PBIS initiative set the foundation for relationships by encouraging positive behaviors. Schoolwide, expectations give students achievable positive behavior goals, providing you with specific actions to recognize. Developing a classroom matrix that mirrors your schoolwide expectations allows you to scale down to classroom-specific behaviors that earn praise and recognition. As your students meet these expectations, don't forget to acknowledge their progress.

Most PBIS initiatives include a token economy, which can be a challenge to manage. Let PBIS Rewards help you recognize students for meeting expectations, track points, and manage your school and classroom stores. PBIS Rewards lets you track the ways your students meet classroom expectations as well as positive behaviors schoolwide. We'd love to show you how it works - contact us or request a demo!

Here are some related articles you may find interesting:

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Setting Classroom Expectations the First Week of School

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Taking the time to begin building those relationships during the first week of school will impact the entire school year.

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Students use information in the classroom and they gain from interviewing the teacher to make inferences about their teacher.

Link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Investigating-the-Teacher-First-Week-of-School-Activity-5670918

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Have students reflect on their first week of school

Help students set goals and reflect on what went well and what didn't

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First Week of High School Reflection by Lex the School Counselor

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1. What is your topic, and why did you choose it?

Our topic is focused on strategies and resources that teachers can use for the first week of school. The first week of school needs to be balanced between setting expectations and procedures while also maintaining a level of fun in the classroom. This is an exciting time for both teachers and students, so choosing this topic felt important as aspiring teachers.

2. Why is this topic important to teach?

This is a topic that all new teachers will have to face, so it's important to be prepared. Our resources of teachers sharing their experience with the first week of school provide a first-hand account of what has worked in the classroom. Using these resources to teach students about expectations and routines is important for building a solid foundation for the rest of the school year.

3. How would you teach this topic in your future classroom?

In my future classroom, I intend to use the resources we found to give students a unique and fun first week of class. I aim to find a good first week balance that will draw on the excitement everyone has for the first week of school. For example, a class constitution establishes classroom rules that all students agree on, and the investigating teacher activity helps build relationships with students.

4. What are 3 questions or concerns you have about teaching this topic?

1. Will setting expectations early make my class feel too rigid or boring?

2. What if my first-week plan doesn’t go as expected?

3. What if a routine doesn’t work well for a student with different learning needs?

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First Day HS activities that AREN'T Icebreakers

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First Day HS activities that AREN'T Icebreakers

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Key Takeaway: I love how many activities on this list were original and that I had never heard of. I hate icebreakers. This thread helped get my brain turning and generate some ideas that feel more useful and actionable for multiple purposes, not just icebreakers.

Classroom Connection: I would love to use the “Trivia” activity in this thread. The teacher puts a focus on not accessing academics or making students vulnerable by giving them trivia questions to complete. I was always nervous to share information about myself or have to demonstrate my academic skills on the first day. This helps prevent those hurdles for kids and lets them open up organically!

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Explore this post and more from the Teachers community

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13 First Week of School Read Alouds and Activities

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13 First Week of School Read Alouds and Activities

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Type of Resource: Blog Post/Resource List

Key Takeaway:  I like that this blog post suggests books about classroom culture and pairs them with activities, to really get the full potential of these materials.  The books and activities the author has chosen range from classroom culture, to relationship building, and class expectations.

Classroom Connection:  My favorite book/activity on this list is the book “A Letter From Your Teacher on the First Day of School” paired with the “Question Jar”.  As students go through the first week of school, they can drop anonymous questions in the question jar for the teacher to answer for the class!  I love that this gives the opportunity to clarify routines and get to know the teacher.  If I were to do this activity, I would totally plant questions like “I forgot where to turn in my homework” just to give myself the opportunity to revisit routines I see kids struggling with.

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13 First Week of School Read Alouds and Activities

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Build connections and community in the classroom with this list of read alouds and activities to share during the first week of school.

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This podcast offers insight into the realities of teaching, including the excitement and uncertainties that come with the first day of school. It follows a first-year teacher, Miss Jenna MacNulty, whose narrative sets the stage for the rest of the series, offering a candid look into a novice teacher navigating her first year.

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This article provides in depth explanations of steps educators can take to create a class contract so that students are involved in setting the rules and expectations of their learning.

Step 1: Define Contracting

Step 2: Students Reflect

Step 3: Select an Approach to Developing a Contract

Step 4: Discuss Classroom Norms

Step 5: Reflect on Scenarios

Step 6: Initiate the Contract

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Develop a classroom contract to create a community of mutual respect and inclusion.

Advisory

English & Language Arts

History

Social Studies

Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening.

- Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif

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Develop a classroom contract to create a community of mutual respect and inclusion. Advisory English & Language Arts History Social Studies Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening. - Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif

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For a fun social studies themed twist, make the class contract a parody of a real historical document, like the US Constitution or Declaration of Independence!