Surviving the First Two Weeks of School

By Stephanie M. Hamilton

You have just graduated with a degree in education, and are ready for your first classroom! Or are you? You might even be a second or third year teacher with a few lingering jitters. Did you know that in addition to creating spectacular lessons, you need to be an interior designer, manager, relationship builder and more. How do you survive the first few weeks of school, so that the rest of the year is a powerful learning experience for all?

In "Surviving the First Two Weeks of School", you will get tips on the many roles of teachers, organizing your classroom, creating learning centers, involving parents and family, and team-building activities to help "break the ice" of this new beginning. Importantly, learn more about building a community of learners: a group of people who value, support, and respect each other in their individual and group learning experiences.

A must have resource for new and not-yet veteran teachers - no matter the grade!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483525686

Book preview

Surviving the First Two Weeks of School

Copyright 2014 by Stephanie M. Hamilton, M.Ed.

Publisher: Book Baby, Portland, OR

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Role of the Teacher

Building a Community of Learners

Classroom Environment

Classroom Climate

Sample Student Interest Survey Questions

Organizing for Success

Seating Arrangements

Learning Centers

Classroom Library

Family Involvement

Sample Parent Letter

Patience

Icebreaker Activities

Discussion Starters

Helpful Websites

Introduction

I wanted to be a teacher my whole life. My three younger brothers suffered through my endless game of school when we were little. I grew up, went to college and couldn’t wait for my first class – my class. College gave me lots of knowledge and two internships. I had even been a camp counselor and teacher’s assistant. I was ready; or at least I thought so.

When I went to school and when I started teaching, students sat in rows. Teachers stood at the front of the class, lectured, and the information was fed to the students. It was the student’s job to get it, and if they didn’t get it, it was their fault. I know now that there are so many other options for classroom design, but I didn’t when I started. Learning centers were completely new to me. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to peek into hundreds of classrooms to see how teachers do and don’t design areas for individual or small group learning. Learning centers are very effective, and help the teacher have the time to work with struggling students.

Today’s educators know so much more about the environment we create for learning. For years our emphasis was on the content we were teaching. Our students were viewed as sponges soaking in