One of the biggest mistakes teachers make when they land their first job is that they spend their summers planning for the curriculum that they are passionate about teaching.  I love this quote by Eric Jensen that illustrates this mistake well.  So, in the first weeks of school, focus on developing a solid culture of learning in your classroom.  Make sure students feel secure and safe; they know the expectations.  Below are four things teachers can focus on in the first weeks of school that will make learning possible for the rest of the year.

Routines & Procedures

Before school starts, really consider the routines and procedures that will be important in your classroom for learning.  Will instructional structures will you use? Lecture? Groups? Pairs? What materials will students need regularly? Will there be homework? How will students keep track of their work? Consider instructional as well as management components.  For each teacher this will look different, but the important piece is how you address the elements that you choose in the first weeks of school.  Don’t present these expectations in one big powerpoint presentation.  Make sure to present routines and procedures at times when they can be practiced.  Don’t teach a routine and then a few days later offer an opportunity for practice.  Don’t present all the rules in one sitting and expect results. For example, if you have a homework procedure, teach it and then give a homework assignment for that evening so students can practice it immediately.  Have a plan in place for follow up if students do not follow the procedure and communicate that plan clearly to students.  If students do not follow the procedure the next day, be prepared to follow up.  Missing these opportunities can send the message that you don’t mean what you say or set up a situation where students are unsure if you mean what you say about expectations.  So, teach a routine or expectation when there will be an opportunity for students to practice it and be prepared to hold students accountable.  Don’t let them slide early on in setting the expectations; they will take that as a sign that you aren’t really serious about the expectations that you set.  If you have a tardy policy that states that students will get a phone call home after their second tardy, make sure that call happens.  Don’t give the students a break because it is early in the year.  This is the time to show students you mean what you say.

Lesson planning

Plan lessons in a way that will maximize high engagement.  You may be required to use a specific format for your lesson planning, but make sure that you plan for the following elements no matter what format you use.  Make sure there is a clear learning goal.   Also, while each lesson might not relate to the final assessment, the final assessment for the unit should be identified and the prerequisite skills students will need to be successful at the unit assessment should be kept in mind while creating lessons.  Plan a hook in the beginning of your lesson to ensure you will initially engage your students in the content you choose to present.  Make sure there are a mixture of learning opportunities.  Until you get to know your students and how they learn best, it is helpful to incorporate a variety of learning styles to ensure all students can access the curriculum.  For example, plan a mini-lesson (5-15 minutes), followed by an individual writing prompt, then a paired discussion, ending with a whole group discussion where you call on students to share out.  This is just an example, but it offers a variety of experiences with the same material.  Be sure to plan a short assessment or check in at the end, so you can see what students really got out your lesson.  This information can be used to plan the next step in the lesson.

Relationships (students, teachers/peers, parents)

There are three main stakeholders that should be considered early on in the year.  Your number one stakeholders are students.  On the first day, make sure you greet these customers at the door with a smile.  Forge relationships with them early on by getting to know them.  Plan ways to get to know them early on in the year.  Consider using student inventories.  You can get these from a quick search on the internet for learning styles surveys or you can create your own.  You can have them finish sentence starters or answer questions.  And don’t forget to just make conversation with them about their lives.

Another important stakeholder is parents.  You might consider sending a letter home that introduces yourself as well as important things parents need to know about your classroom.  Make sure that you include ways to get in touch with you.   If you do not have too many parents, it is very helpful to give a phone call to introduce yourself personally.  You may consider calling 6-7 parents a week for the first month.  Having a relationship with parents before you need to contact them for something can be very useful.  You don’t want the first time you interact with a parent to be for a negative reason.  If you have a lot of students, like a high school teacher perhaps, another option would be to call parents of students that you see may have immediate classroom needs first and then work through your list from there.

The last stakeholder that you should make contact with is another teacher.  Find at least one person early on who you can go to when you need basic information about logistics in the building.  Choose someone who you can trust to give you honest advice about solving problems.  A teacher who tells you it is just the group of kids is not the person you are looking for.  You want someone who will give you constructive advice and criticism so you will be able to make through the year without just waiting for the next crop of kids to come along and solve the problem.  Choose someone who is experienced but not so experienced that they are burned out.

Planning the 1st day

You won’t get a redo on this one.  On the first day, plan a solid balance of academic tasks as well as fun, get to know you type activities.  The activities will come easily but remember the structure of the lesson while you get creative.  Maintain a purpose and have a solid organization that is fast paced and provides variety for all types of learners.  Don’t forget to start with the end in mind.  Upon walking in the door, have something ready for students to do immediately.  Keep them busy with activities that have clear instructions and they will be able to do successfully by themselves.  Start with something simple and get a sense of where students are at.  There is nothing that causes behavior problems and mistrust quicker than frustration.  The very first thing you can do is greet students at the door with a smile.  Also, be friendly but in charge and confident.  These things will allow students to feel comfortable with you as well as safe in the classroom.  Don’t forget to have fun and smile!