Congratulations! Whether you’re brand new to teaching, starting a new assignment, working in a new building, or returning to the classroom—I wish you all the best.
Take attendance out loud. Every day.
I wish I could take back the days when I just looked at empty desks to mark who was absent. I thought I was being efficient.
Instead, greet students by name. Acknowledge their presence:
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“How was your game yesterday?”
“Your hair looks great like that.”
“Thank you for being here.”
And on the rare and wonderful days when everyone is present, I like to say:
“Today is perfect already because you’re all here.”
Do math on Day 1.
Yes, real math — the kind where students talk in groups at least 75% of the time. If your principal tells you not to, they are wrong.
Skip the “What did you do over the summer?” writing prompt.
As a student, I dreaded this. We didn’t go anywhere. Couldn’t afford to. There was nothing to write. “We stayed home” doesn’t exactly stretch across three paragraphs.
Instead, tell a quick, everyday story.
Something that happened in the last 24 hours, or over the summer. Be spontaneous. Keep it light, and only if you feel like it.
Here’s mine:
Last week I asked my husband to teach me how to dive into the lake from the dock. (No, I’d never done this before. I kinda know how to swim—meaning I don’t, really.)
He demonstrated and talked me through it. My turn. I assumed the proper dive position and, before I could change my mind, I launched… into a belly flop.
He laughed so hard and told me to try again.
I did. And I nailed it—another belly flop! My tummy and face hurt from the impact. My husband said I was a champ. He’d never laughed so hard.
My first-day rules were simple:
Never give up.
Never tell an answer.
I also told them where to go if we heard a fire alarm. That was it.
I don’t know what possesses us to overwhelm students on Day 1 with 17 bullet points of rules and procedures. We still have 179 more days to cover all that.
You can even measure student enthusiasm with data:
Time how fast they show up at your door the next day. :)
Teaching is hard. Really hard. Please reach out to people who have your back. Take care of yourself and your family first. The students—and the lessons—should bring you joy. If they don’t, I hope you’ve saved up to start that vineyard.
Let’s do this.
Fawn
