Beginning of the Year Teacher Strategies

The beginning of the year can be a stressful time for teachers. This is true whether this is your first year of teaching or if you have been teaching for twenty years. These little tips will make the first week of school successful and make the rest of the school year flow smoothly.

Talk to the secretarial staff. Some may be new this school year. They are a great source of sharing information. If you are a new teacher, do not be afraid to ask questions. They will be able to share information of what to expect.
Check out the library and see what resources are available. If you are planning on assigning research projects to your students, you must make sure there are adequate research materials. Also, check out the availability of computers your school has for online research projects.

Create an organized classroom by setting aside different areas in the classroom for different activities. This method allows students to work on different tasks and will not interrupt the others in the class. Use one corner of the classroom for quiet activities, such as reading and doing homework. Use the other corner for other students who are involved in projects where two or more students work together. They have an area where they can talk quietly. Put any reference materials such as dictionaries and encyclopedias in the back of the classroom. Students in both corners can use the reference section for their class work and projects. They are set apart from each other where the students quietly talking about projects will not disturb the ones working on quiet activities.

Decorate your classroom with eye-catching learning aids. These include charts, graphs, illustrations, pictures, art, books, computers, and so on.

Have the class roster prior to the start of the class. Fill in the names in your grade book. By having the grade book started before the school year begins helps you stay organized throughout the year.

Know what your grading system is going to be before the school year starts. Make sure this follows your school's policy. Make copies of it to hand out to your students on the first day of class.

How you dress creates an impression on your students. If you show up to school wearing sneakers and sweatpants, your students will not see you as somebody who does not care about teaching. It is better to wear a nice blouse and a pair of ironed slacks. Wear comfortable, with a low or no-heel, dress shoe. By dressing professionally will give a positive impression on your students.

When your students arrive in class, be there to welcome them in a friendly way. Have a positive attitude. By showing them that you enjoy being in the classroom, gives them that attitude also.

On the first day of class, go through the roster and learn each student's name by face. By knowing the students in your class, you will be able to control the class more effectively. Have each student talk about what he did during his summer vacation. Show interest in what they did. For example, if somebody talks about going to an amusement park, ask him what rides he went on. Go on to say what rides you like to go on. Another example, is if somebody spent most of their summer reading, have him open up by naming some of the books. Share some of the books you liked to read when you were his age. Also, share some stories of your summer vacations. By communicating with your students, you are giving them a chance to look forward to be in your class.

These are just a few tips and strategies. By using these you, as a teacher, will make things flow smoothly for both yourself and your students