Teachers, can you believe it?! Summer will quickly be coming to an end! Stores already have out their school supplies!!! Are you ready? Back to School is right around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about that FIRST WEEK of school. Feeling overwhelmed at the thought? I’ve got you covered!
Tip #1: PROCEDURES, PROCEDURES, PROCEDURES
If you are new to the classroom this year, or if you are experienced but wanting this year to go smoother than the last– PROCEDURES are where it all begins. Determine now how you want to handle different routines and responsibilities in your classroom. Think about how you want students to enter the room, what supplies they will need, where they will store their supplies, how students are supposed to get lab materials, how to clean up after labs, where students get makeup work, how you handle late work, where and how work is turned in, etc. Take time NOW to figure out how you will handle all of these things to help streamline your first week, then review the most important procedures with students daily for the first two weeks.
Tip #2: MAKE A SYLLABUS
A Syllabus is one of the BEST WAYS to help students (and parents) understand policies and procedures. On your syllabus you will want to include:
Grading policies (this includes weight of daily vs major grades, late work, absent work, etc.)
Expectations inside of the classroom (Class Rules) and expectations outside of the classroom (homework, studying, etc)
General overview of what the course covers. I love including general information from our state standards.
Information about any large projects students will be expected to complete at home during the year. Be sure to include a timeframe in your syllabus as well so parents know when they should expect to see their child working on it. I always loved including information about our Science Fair so parents weren’t caught off guard.
Lab Safety Contract– it is a good idea to send home your Lab Safety Contract along with your Syllabus to ensure that parents and students are aware of lab expectations. You may even want to copy them front to back on the same piece of paper (if you have room).
Signature Space– Be sure to have students AND parents sign that they have read and agree to everything on the syllabus. If you are sending home the Lab Safety Contract, be sure to have them sign that as well. When students return their syllabus– make a copy for yourself of the signed pages and then return the original to the student to place in their notebook. It is important that the student retains a copy so they are always able to look back at it if they have questions.
Syllabus Quiz/Scavenger Hunt– this isn’t a must, but I found that having an open notes syllabus quiz was really helpful in making sure the students understand everything up front. My quiz would have multiple choice questions like– What percentage are projects and tests worth? A. 50% B. 60% C. 20% D. 35% They could easily find the answer in their syllabus. I always made sure to also include a question that helped them realize how detrimental a zero could be by having them average A’s & B’s with a zero to see how much it brought down their grade. Scavenger Hunts are also a great way to make sure students can locate and understand information. Want a FREE Syllabus Guide and Syllabus Scavenger Hunt?
Tip #3: ICE BREAKERS
Ice Breakers are activities that usually take 5-15 minutes and help everyone participating to feel more comfortable in a new setting. Using meaningful icebreakers is a great way to start out your first week with your students! Not only do ice breakers help students learn to work together, but they are a great way to help ease the tension that naturally comes in a new situation. I loved having a quick ice breaker activity with my students to start the class off each day that first week of school. The activities I chose focused on communication, problem solving, collaboration, focus, and attention to detail. As I observed students completing the activities, I learned a lot about how they work with others, who was more vocal, who my quiet leaders were, and who struggled. It was a great non-threatening way to see into how their minds work. I made little notes as I walked the room during each activity. Those notes later helped me create small groups, seating charts, and to know how to approach students in class (whether they like getting up and talking or whether a quiet one on one check in was the way to go).
Tip #4: BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
With middle school students– RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY. Classroom Management is so much EASIER when relationships are built early on. Take the time to GET TO KNOW your students. I know you probably feel pressured to hit the ground teaching– but I PROMISE you that taking the time to get to know your students and build relationships with them now will actually SAVE YOU TIME in the long run and allow you to cover more content. I love giving students an opportunity to showcase their strengths and personalities. On the first day of school I would send home a getting to know you sheet and I would offer 5 Bonus Points on the first test if they completed and returned it to me that first week. As an educator we are given the unique opportunity to not only teach the curriculum, but to truly MAKE A DIFFERENCE in a child’s life. Middle school is ROUGH. Students are still very impressionable. These kids are subjected to so many things so much earlier than we were growing up. They are dealing with really heavy situations. They are struggling to find who they are. You have the ability to be a constant in their life, to be a role model, to be SO MUCH MORE than a Science Teacher. Part of building relationships is also allowing students to see YOU. Share with them what you LOVE about science, about teaching, about THEM. It is crucial that you have high expectations for them and that you hold them accountable to those expectations. My number one piece of advice for building relationships is: ALWAYS treat them with respect– regardless of whether they are being respectful. Remember that you are modeling the behavior you want them to learn.
Tip #5: BREATHE
Planning for the first week of school can be time consuming and stressful. As you prepare to head back into the classroom, figure out now how you will handle the feelings of overwhelm that inevitably come with teaching. Will you meditate? Are there certain songs that help you to relax? Make a list of things to help you when you are super stressed. There is a reason that so many memes exist talking about first week of school-teacher tired… That first week, even if everything goes well– is EXHAUSTING. Figure out now how you will reward yourself once you’ve made it through that first week. Some of my favorite ways to reward myself after that first week are: going to get my hair washed at a salon, eating a piece of my favorite chocolate, getting a hot chocolate from Starbucks on my way home that Friday, binging on my favorite TV shows, and going for a walk with my family.
If you like these tips and are looking for an easy way to start that first week, check out my Science Starter School Bundle! This awesome bundle includes a Getting to Know You activity, 5 Ice breaker activities, Lab Safety Contract & Project, Science Themed Posters, and a Science Tools Circuit.
I wish you the best as you prepare to head back to school! I hope you have a FABULOUS year!
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