There is Only one first day of school
1 & 2. - Am I in the Right Room? & Where am I supposed to sit? I always put up a Welcoming Bulletin with the students names in some form so that they feel as if this is their classroom and they belong here just like me. I also put name placement cards for where they are to sit to avoid them standing around trying to figure out where to go. These placements are never permanent and I tell them so from the beginning so that we can switch any students that have difficulty seeing the board or perhaps, taller or shorter and have an uncomfortable position. I greet at the door and also help them put up their supplies. As they are coming in, I ask them to mark off their name in the mimeo, as that is the way I do attendance and, of course, they love it! 3. Where are the rules in the classroom? Rules are at the front of the classroom and after we collect all supplies and are accommodated at our desks, I go over these with the class. We talk a bit about the need for each of them and we also talk about the rewards and consequences. I usually stay away from object rewards, except certificates, and food, most of the rewards entail free time or doing something that they like to do. I usually give them a copy at this time to take home and have their parents sign. That way we are all clear on what the expectations for the classroom behavior. What will I be doing this year? I usually spend the first couple of weeks reviewing procedures and how certain schedules and activities work. We practice doing SSR, how to come in toe the classroom and what activity they are to do when they first come in, how to line up for lunch, recess, P.E., how to walk throughout the building, where to put their things, etc. and learn new procedures as they come up, for example, Fire Drills. I also review these throughout the year if I feel that we are slacking off in some way. I never threaten or admonish, we just practice it again. I generally feel that if the students don't follow the procedures correctly, it is not malicious, it just means we need more practice doing them! How will I be graded? We don't usually discuss grades unless I am talking about turning in assignments and how I break up grades between testing, assignments, and projects, to let them know the value of certain work. I usually wait for the first assignment, but I will reteach if I see that I concept has been challenging to most or if they cant seem to “get the grade”. Who is the teacher as a person? This year for the first time, after taking the ACT training, I will create a bulletin board with information about myself and the students. It will be part of my Welcome bulletin and I will have them bring a part of pictures that represent them, so that we can put it on this bulletin. I am really excited to do this because it will help me know them and help the students know me a bit more. Will the teacher treat me as a human being? I always try to start the class in a positive way. I read them a story such as The Teacher from the Black Lagoon and we discuss their expectations and mine for their new grade and class. Part of my behavior management is about being respectful and polite, and I tell them that I always greet in the morning and say goodbye in the afternoon, and that I expect the same back. We do an entertaining activity, but it is not the focus and it is more of an icebreaker, to get to know each other better. Anytime I make a demand of them such as respecting others personal items or mine, I also try to reiterate how I will also follow these rules in regard to their belongings as long as they are used the easy they were meant. |
Recipe Card Mix-Up Provide each student with a recipe or index card. Ahead of time choose about five questions that you might ask of students. Be as creative as you want with the questions. Possible questions might include the following: What is the title of a favorite book? What do you like doing in your free time when you're not at school? What is your favorite board game? What is your favorite candy bar? If you could request your favorite meal for your birthday, what would that meal be? When students -- and the teacher -- have written their answers to the questions, collect the recipe cards. Shuffle the cards. Then pass out a card to each student; be sure students do not receive their own cards. When everyone has a card, then the job of each student is to find the student in the room who belongs to the card the student holds. When everybody has found the person who wrote the answers on the card they hold, they must make sure they know how to pronounce that student's full name and that they understand everything that is written on the card. Then it is time for introductions. The teacher can begin the activity by asking the student on the card s/he holds to come to the front of the room. As that student stands by, the teacher introduces the student to the rest of the class by saying, "Class, I'd like you to meet ___. Her favorite book is ___. Her favorite board game is Please welcome ___ to our fourth grade class!" (Classmates then give the student 4 claps [for 4th grade]). The student that the teacher introduced continues the activity by calling up the student whose card he or she holds. Continue until all students have introduced someone to the class. When everyone has been introduced, take all the cards, shuffle them, and call out responses on one card at a time to see if students can remember who belongs to each card. Arlene Stoebner, Yankton School District, Yankton South Dakota Never Have I Ever is an icebreaker game that helps people get to know each other better. Everyone sits in a circle and take turns saying something they have never done. Each player starts with ten fingers showing. Each time says something that you’ve done, you drop a finger. The goal is to be the last player remaining. This get-to-know-you game can be played indoors or outdoors. The recommended number of people for this game is ten to fifteen, but all group sizes can play by dividing into appropriate sized groups. Recommended age is 8 and up. No special materials are required. Instructions for Never Have I Ever Instruct everyone to sit in a circle. If you have an extremely large group, tell people to form smaller circles of about ten to fifteen people. To start each round, each player holds out all ten fingers and places them on the floor. Go around the circle and one at a time, each person announces something that they have never done, beginning the sentence with the phrase ―Never have I ever...‖ For example, a person could say, ―Never have I ever been to Europe.‖ For each statement that is said, all the other players drop a finger if they have done that statement. So, if three other people have been to Europe before, those three people must put down a finger, leaving them with nine fingers. The goal is to stay in the game the longest (to be the last person with fingers remaining). To win, it’s a good strategy to say statements that most people have done, but you haven’t. Playing this game, along with the benefit of getting to know each others’ experiences better, can be very humorous (e.g. saying silly statements such as, ―Never have I ever skipped a class in school‖ or ―Never have I ever soiled my pants.‖) Have fun! |