The First Days of School - Introduce Yourself to Your Class

"Right or wrong, accurate or not, your reputation will precede you."

Like Harry Wong says, it may not be right, but your reputation will definitely precede you.  Whether you like it or not, students and parents talk about you.  If you have a good reputation, students will enter your class with high expectations.  If you have a bad reputation, students enter your classroom with low expectations and bad attitudes.  "Protect your reputation and create a positive image.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain." (Wong, 102)

Preschool Invitation
You can set the tone of who you are and what you stand for before school even begins.  Here are a couple strategies you can do to introduce yourself to your parents and students.

• Send a letter home to parents before school begins
• Tell them you look forward to working with their child.
• Include any important dates, including open house.
• Include any materials their child should have for your class.
• Send a letter home to each student before school begins
• Include a welcoming message.
• Tell the students who you are.
• If they have questions before school starts, how will they get in touch with you?
• List materials they will need on the first day.
• List your expectations.

The First Day

Greeting your students on the first day of school, might be the most important thing you do all year!  It sets the tone for the whole school year.

• Stand at the door with a big smile and a ready handshake.
• Be sure you have the following information by your classroom door.
• Your name, room number, subject/grade level, an appropriate welcome or greeting.
• Greet each student with a handshake.
• Have instructions on the board as to where to sit and what to do.
• Have the 1st assignment ready; this can be something simple and not graded (Example: information form).

"Everything possible should be done to welcome the students and to make sure that they know where to go and how to get there on time." (Wong, 107)

How Students Enter the Classroom

You should have expectations as to how students will enter your classroom.  If a student does not enter the classroom correctly, have that student come back to the door and correct the behavior.  Ask the student nicely and tell the student why they have to correct their actions.  You need to begin teaching routines from the moment you meet your students at the door.  Don't forget what you learned in the previous chapters about using the students name and saying please and thank you :)

Important First Words

What you say to start your class on the first day of school can set the tone for the rest of the year.  There are two things you want to state at the outset on the first day of school; your name and your expectations.  Be sure to tell the students how you wish to be addressed.  For example:  "My name is Mr. Raymo, and I would like to be addressed as such, please.  Thank you! "  Students really want to know who you are as a person, so tell the class who you are.

Some of this may seem like common sense, but if you are struggling with classroom management, look back to how you started the year.  You can also not only look back to the beginning of the year, but how do you start each class period.  Are you prepared with a "bell ringer" activity or do students sit and visit while you take roll and deal with the other distractions?