9 Ways to Start the School Year Off Right

It’s that time of the year again – back-to-school season! Are you feeling prepared for all that awaits you? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are nine invaluable tips to ensure your first few days of school go smoothly, setting you up for a successful year ahead.

And guess what?

My personal favorite happens to be the last tip on the list – trust me, it’s a game-changer! So, let’s dive into these tips and make this academic year the best one yet!

The first week of school can be a stressful time for both teachers and students. To help make the transition smoother, teachers should consider incorporating some of these tips to help ensure that the first week of school is a welcoming one for all involved!

9 Tips for the First Week of School

Go slow to make sure all students understand your expectations

Very slow. So slow, it’s almost painful. Slower than you think you should. Okay, maybe not that slow. But, seriously, I spend the first hour going over classroom rules (in a fun and interactive way) and establishing procedures for pair sharing.  Slowly.

Go slow so that your students don’t miss anything.  I want my students to know the expectations and exactly what to do in our class.

Model Correct and Incorrect Behavior

Model the right way to do things. Model the wrong way to do things. Then, model the right way to do things.

You can do this with any classroom procedure. Walking in a line, putting papers away, working with partners, etc.

Model it. Have students model it. Have students model doing it incorrectly. Then have the same students do it correctly. This simple routine insures students know your expectations.

Stop and Redirect Incorrect Student Behavior

Stop and redirect when you see incorrect behavior (or when something annoys you). Then model some more. Call out the behavior. Don’t embarrass the students or make them feel bad, but do address inappropriate behavior.  If you don’t, students will think they can get away with it!

Keep it positive

Focus on positive behavior management. Negative feedback doesn’t work for challenging students; they don’t respond positively to negative consequences, but they love words of affirmation.  

For most of my students, just establishing good practices and routines is enough to keep them in line with gentle reminders.

My most challenging students don’t need more negative feedback. They get enough of it at home and have had it in previous years. I’ve got one kiddo this year that is pushing all the buttons. It’s been a challenge to catch myself and try to redirect the behavior rather than become negative and turn toward a punishment mentality. I’m trying though!

Admit your mistakes and your fears

Show students that you are a real person, too. There was a time this week when I couldn’t find a set of papers. There were times when I said something wrong (learning new processes is hard!).

Admit that you don’t know it all.

It will ease their fears. We read Wemberly Worried (affiliate link) on the second day of school this week. I admitted that I worry that I won’t teach them well. I also admitted that I was afraid that they wouldn’t like me.

Just trying to make it real, people.

Plan more than you think you need

Over plan for the first couple days or even weeks, until you figure out the rhythm of your classroom. It’s better to have more in your back pocket than you think you need.

After a couple of weeks, your classroom will develop a natural ebb and flow.  Things will fall into place and you’ll get a feel for how each day should work.  Until then, over plan.

Come up with some sponge activities or fillers

For those extra 10 minutes that you can’t do a full lesson, but can’t do the next activity, have some quick activities in your back pocket to use when you have a couple of extra minutes.  This post has 80 Sponge Activities you can use.

Don’t forget to sit down During the Day

While your students are engaged in an activity, sit down.

Really take a seat.

Watch them.

See how they interact with one another.

Observe the choices they make.

Look at their personalities and see how they work together to make your classroom unique.

As teachers, we hardly ever get a chance to sit down and observe the way our students interact with one another.  We’re so busy teaching that we’re not spending time learning about our students.  Plan some lessons that give them some downtime, so that you can sit and observe how they’re working together.

Breathe – Work in some ways to Destress

Inhale.

Exhale.

Relax.

Take some time for yourself. Treat yourself to a coffee, a massage, a pedicure, or a cup of tea. Anything that allows you to breathe and reflect. I keep going and going and going, and I often forget about myself during the first few weeks at school.  It’s important to take time for yourself. Here is a list of ways to destress during September that will help you relax during this busy season.

I hope your first few days of school go smoothly with few stressors and that your students are amazing little learners!