Do you feel like a “talking head” during the first couple days of school? We know that explicitly teaching classroom procedures and expectations is a MUST for the beginning of the school year. However, it’s a lot of information for a teacher to disseminate and for students to absorb. I have this simple little trick to help you cover all of this important information without losing your mind and while keeping your student engaged!
Here’s the gist:
- When it comes to discussing behavioral expectations, I begin by writing several questions (preferably one for each student). These are common questions that I know will be asked repeatedly by students. I also ask questions that will direct our discussion to procedures that are important to my classroom management system.
- I number these questions and give each student one at the beginning of the day.
- Before the day is over, each student will get a chance to read his/her question aloud, and then we will discuss it.
- I call on the numbers in order (“Who has number 1? Could you please read your question?”), so I make sure to have the most important questions at the “top of the deck.”
- We interject these questions throughout the day so that we are not spending a solid block of time going over procedures. I alternate 5-6 questions between the common first-day activities (introductions, ice-breakers, collecting supplies, assemblies, etc.). Breaking this task up over the day not only gives you a respite from talking, it also gives the students a break so they don’t glaze over in boredom.
Having these prepared for the first day of school kept me on track for covering these important “rules” and gave me one less thing to think about during the back-to-school chaos. I hope you will give this little trick a try. You can download a FREE and editable version of this resource by entering your email address below.
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