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It’s almost here… or maybe it is here by the time you are reading this article.
You might have spent days of the summer holidays getting prepared for the first week with your new class… or you might be wishing you had.
No matter what you’ve got planned, the main thing to remember in those first few days and weeks you spend with your new class, is R & R.
No, not rest and relaxation unfortunately (well, definitely do that in your own time)… but Relationships and Routines.
If you’re looking for some advice on what activities to do with your pupils in the first week then I’m sorry, this article isn’t it. Absolutely do the lovely artwork for displays, teach moral lessons that you want to underpin your classroom culture through engaging picture books, set expectations for recording in books and all of the typical things that make sense to do at the start of the year. And when you are doing those activities, focus on these two things: Relationships and Routines.
Relationships
- Relationships. Are. Everything.
Whoever created the “Don’t smile until December” myth was not my kind of teacher… and I’m here to debunk it! You have the opportunity to make an impact on every single one of your students this year. But the more you spend time getting to know them, the more significant that impact will be. Now is the time to build those relationships with your pupils and you will reap the rewards with motivated learners, that feel connected and supported in the classroom, resulting in academic success and positive wellbeing. A few minutes to communicate and connect to each pupil each day can go such a long way!
Routines
Embedding routines is hugely important for those first few weeks. Routines for classroom organisation, instruction, transitions, behaviour. I find pupils respond well to simple cues or signals to begin a routine. Routines for entering and exiting the classroom, starting and ending the school day, transitioning from and to different activities, for stopping to listen to instructions are all particularly useful for creating a calm and predictable classroom environment. Once embedded, the routines will become automatic classroom practices and behaviours. You’ll know you’ve made it when your pupils are explaining “how Miss/Sir does it” to cover and supply teachers!
It may sound simple, but both of these things require a conscious effort. I promise you though, you will never regret taking the time to foster those relationships and embed those important routines.
Have a fantastic start to the new academic year with your amazing young learners!
With many thanks to Laura Brogan, Assistant Headteacher, for writing this article.
