September Start For Teachers

As September is back to school, I wanted to do a quick blog to share some simple strategies and suggestions to help start out the school year to have the best success yet.

Over the 26 years I have been working in the education system, there are a few valuable lessons I have learnt from gifted teaching staff. Here are just a few tips to help with building the best classroom community possible in order to have the highest success for all students and in the long run, eliminate, prevent and minimize challenges for yourself later on...after the "honeymoon" period.

Take the first two weeks (at a minimum) to slowly establish the classroom environment that it is you aspire to have. Take this time to "put money in the bank" with positive interactions and community building. I have seen too many teachers rush into teaching the curriculum and focusing on student work output more so than focusing on building a strong foundation within the classroom regarding:

• rapport

• rules

• consequences (incentives & preventatives)

• communication

• routines

• expectations

• problem solving strategies and expectations

Start your year out by deeming that the new students entering your class have never been in school. (Easy to do if you are a Kindergarten teacher and that is exactly what I am suggesting) Teach them from scratch, every basic skill, strategy, expectation and appropriate responses that will aid in a healthy, happy and safe classroom community. Any students that already know this information and excel, will be a bonus and just make the process easier.

Most times, the majority of students will have this down pat. This is for the 5% more or less that struggle or who have not necessarily been taught or had continuous and consistent interactions in the areas that you are striving to achieve.

Also, two months is a long time for students to be away from an environment and depending on the structure that has been there norm for those two months, many will need a refresher. The other point is that, no matter what they were taught in the past, or who they were taught by, this is your classroom and your expectations will probably be somewhat different to past teachers.

I cannot stress taking this time enough. This is the foundation to build upon in order for your (and their) classroom environment to be functioning in the best way possible for everyone. You set the standards and you teach them what it is that is acceptable or not. Once you have built this foundation, and everyone is included in this process, a classroom functions amazingly smooth.

For specific strategies, ideas or solutions, to ensure a fantastic year, please contact me.

All the best,

Yvette Mercier

MsMPower

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