Can you believe how time has flown? It seems like Summer just dropped by and kept going. Even though I taught Summer school, it usually seemed like I had longer than I have this year before school started. I can say though I was able to relax and and get some not only physical rejuvenation but mental rejuvenation. I don't know about you, but after least year. I questioned whether I wanted to return to the field of teaching. I literally started looking for other jobs that will allow me to still do what I love to do teach or work with books. I made a pros and cons list to determine if my passion for the job outweighed my exhaustion. As the days eeked by, my shoulders relaxed, my headaches subsided, my tossing and turning subsided. I realized I didn't want to give up. It was Reading that helped me to find a since of peace and serinity. I want to share my love of books with kids. I want to show them how reading can take them places they can't afford. This Summer I was able to read for enjoyment and professionally without having to plan anything. I felt good about Reading again. I realized that in order to show a love of reading a lot of things had to take place first. . I am excited to see what this year will look like without having to do everything everyday using technology.
I say all that to say, it's a new school year, now what? With everyone being requred to return on campus, it is a little scary since here in Texas the mask mandate has been lifted, and vaccination numbers are high. I can't help but wonder what precautions will be taken? Will we still be required to sanitize after every class? Will we be required to continue to do medical check ins? Will we have to use shields? Will we have 2 separate lunch rooms with staggered times. Will we get ppo? Will there be sanitation stations? Will teachers be given necessary cleaning supplies if requested? What about classroom supplies? What will happen with the 6ft distance rule? So many questions but hardly any answers. On top of all these questions swirling around in my head, we are also still under construction, and have the possibility of having to share rooms this year, due to the new plans. I have to wrap my mind around that part. I don't like sharing? At least that is what my kids say. I say I live in controlled chaos, so I gotta get it together if I have to share a room.
Anyway it's that time to prepare for the new year. I am ready to gear up. What are you planning for? What do you deem to be most important. For me, I think building relationships and making students feel safe to be back in the classroom. Here are some of the things you can do to get to know students, and make kids feel safe. I started creating this list this in my back to school journal. Yep I have a journal that I use to plan in every year. I have one from every year I have taught after my 5th year. I go back and look at them every Summer. They help me process and develop my new list and plans.
20 BEGINNING OF THE YEAR SHENANIGANS!
I do a daily picture book Read Aloud that lends itself to a teaching point related to behavior, instruction, management, and/or organization. Sometimes we create charts about these books. My goal is to model reading behaviors and writing about reading before actually getting deep into instruction.
As students enter the classroom, I welcome them with open arms, provide directions as to what they will be doing and options to sit where they choose. At theie seats, I usually have a welcome poem and a bag of goodies( pencils with positive says on them, erasers, life savers, gum and pepperments) and the first activities materials. These activities are what happens most of the class, with independent reading taking place for last 15 minutes of class. I only have 5 50 mminute classes. When I was in elementary i would do a few of these activities, and then spend time introducing subject area things, such as I did a read aloud to introduce the library, one to introduce journals, one to introduce choosing books, and several other lessons such as Fake reading vs Real reading, small groups, partnerships, using rubric, etch I actually included my Reading Workshop E book in the Beginning of the year Bundle or everythinng in the bundle can be purchased separately as well.
However, lets talk about typical beginning of the year things that anyone can do to build a repoir with students and create a safe zone for a community of learners.
Start off:
1. By making name tents- students are allowed to decorate them with symbols and words that represent them.- They share these with their tables and the class.-- I also make one to share. (cardstock of various colors, markers, color pencils, and a model)
2. Get to know Bingo boards- Allow kids to go around and find classmates that can sign off on the different options on the board- they must get everyone's signature and ask them a follow up questions abou that square. ( I sign one the boxes before making copies)
3. Introduce yourself to the class. I create a powerpoint slide about me. I talk about likes, dislikes, family, career, goals and teaching experience. Afterwards, kids get the option to make their own posters about themselves, or complete an All About Me printed handout. I let them share these with their tablemates- or we hang them around the class, and do a gallery walk learning about one another.
4. Ice Breaker Ideas:
--Would You Rather - 2 options that pick a side and walk to the propriate corner and discuss their optons. (nonsense options)
-- This or That- Similar to Would you Rather different types of options
-- I have -- Do you have
-- M & M sort: pose questions that represent each color of the M&M's. I have kids to complete a response sheet, or you can put a large sheet in middle of table, they can choose what color they want to answer by laying the color on the mat and take turns answering .They keep going until they have answered at least 3 question prompts
-- Same concept as above can be done with colored tooth pics.
---Create an ABC chart where the kids try to come up with names of things that represent your subject area( math words, social studies words, reading words, etcf)
---Do a scavenger hunt- have them locate certain things in the class and around the building(get permission) give them a certain amount of time, when they reach the end and have all their signatures, they can come share their adventure- I have done this in groups with middle schoolers before.
5. Circle up- Here is where I start sharing some of my feelings, I talk about words like effort, grit, kindness, fear, respect, self awareness, responsibility, etc. I use my SEL posters and create a bulletin board as I talk about each one of the attributes that learners should exhibit and practice. We talk about 2 to 3 words each day for a while at the beginning of the year, talk about mindset.
6. I use this prompt every year: If there was one thing I wanted my students to know about me it would be.... because..... I switch it up and have them write on notecards instead of sharing out loud. If there was one thing I wanted my teacher to know about me it would be..... (you will be amazed at what you can learn)
7. As a reading teacher, we make book marks- decorating them with titles of our favorite books, characters, movies, games,shows-( the goal is to bo back and use these to make a reading list)
8. We work together to create an anchor chart: What needs to happen for learning to take place in our class? ( usually this happens after we discuss the school wide plan)
9. I have kids bring 3 items from home that represent them, and we do a daily share. I assign 3 to 5 people to bring and share.
10. You can discuss the subject area, what will happen, what is the students job vs Teacher's job.
11. You may want to assign jobs to students to make them responsible for the classroom setting.
12. Set up journals, or folders, allow kids to decorate, I give options, I teach reading so they can use magazines, their own pictures from home, images of book covers that I provide. I then have them go to the first clean page in their journal and draw an avatar and add images and phrases of what they things makes a good- reader, writer- mathematician, etc.
13. Writing- a different prompt daily- 5 to 8 sentences responses( this is something I did when I taught reading it was just about getting the starting to generate entries.
14. Reading Teachers can have students bring their favorite book from home to share. If you teach writing you can have students talk about their favorite genre to write and why, same with any of the subjects.
15. As Reading teachers, I use 20 minutes for kids to independent read. I put baskets of books on the desk and observe student behaviors and book choices. I take note to use late. I also confer with students you can talk about their books, or just get to know the students, ask questions. and even read with them to model reading behaviors. Writing teachers can do the same as they are writing to prompts daily. (this will give you background on what students do and don't do, strengths and weaknesses)
16. Give students a tour of the classroom and talk about student responsibility in each area.
17. Talk about expecations for turning in papers, sharpening pencils, using bulletin boards or stations you may have already in place.
18. Talk about procedures for the RR, the Hallways, cafeteria, library, morning meetings, meeting areas.
19. Talk to students about Homework expecations if you plan to give it, using supplies, labeling supplies. Talk about what will happen when students are absent.
20. For the subject areas that use workshop model: Talk about each component, what will happen, what their job will be vs your job. At this point, I provide them with a Reading Survey to complete, it helps me be able to make book choices and guage their feelings about Reading. You can find a survey on any subject area.
I personally have done alot of these. Check out some of my get know activities by hitting the link in the top right hand corner, My tpt store, Mrseduc8te. Here is a look into what you will find. The bundle includes all three of the one below plus, a BOY lesson plan suggestion, and goals setting component. You can purchase the bundle or each one separately. Lots of things for setting up the beginning of the school year available.
This is not an exhausted list. There is so many things to think about at the beginning of the year before starting instruction in relation to Behvior, management, procedural, and instruction. Think about front loading . You want to make sure that you set the foundation so you want waste time setting it throughout the year. That is not to say you want have to revisit them or add some, it just means that I prefer to use my firsts 3 weeks, getting to know my students, building relationships and setting the foundation for my subject area. Once I get these things in place I can pay attention to helping students build their reading lives and forming reading identies.
The beginning of the year is crucial, it sets the tone for the year. We all know this year will probably one of the most important years of our careers. We will have learners coming that may not have been in school for over a year. We need to set in scaffolds and routines to help those students.
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