Where Do I Start? The Placing of Classroom Resources and Supplies.
I usually start getting ready for the first day of teaching by, walking into my classroom taking a deep breath and a big cup of coffee. I sit in the middle of the room to visualize it all and then I arrange my furniture. Environmental changes are as important to me as my lesson plans. If you have a well thought out classroom, one you have put time and effort into, you will enjoy entering it each morning and so will your students. It doesn’t have to be Pinterest Perfect but some good thought and a little love goes a long way. My classroom is divided into sections. Literacy resources and centres are on one wall. Science and Stem on another. Math resources and centres, also together. Teacher Only Resources are on the last wall. I have my tables grouped together behind my carpet, but strategically all facing my White board for lessons. Art supplies are all close to my classroom sink for easy creative learning, clean up. Mailboxes close to the door to hand in or pick up work quickly during transitions.
What’s Next? Bulletin Boards.
Bulletin Boards in the past were decorative and maybe not always the best use of wall space. Despite our good intentions. I now try to be very intentional about my Bulletin Board space. I understand now that they do not all need to have something on them at the beginning of the year. Rather than filling them without intention, I use them to display the growth in our learning over time. I have two very large boards donated to SOR using a Sound Wall and Vowel Valley. Wow Board space occupies another where students can hang up the work they are most proud of. I often use this to encourage confidence and ask if I can put up their work because it is SO good. Kids really love this. I save one for my handmade with love teacher gifts. One White Board is dedicated to all my Math resources: My Hundred and Twenty Chart, Number bonds, Silent Signal Visuals, Place Value Magnets, Number Line. The other is all my Language resources: Alphabet Sounds, Secret Story Cards, Large Writing Model Magnet, Think, Learn, Know, Visual. Last but not least the Daily Schedule. Super important for students that are anxious of the unknown or are just flat out missing their family and wanting to understand when home time is.
So How About Routines? What are the Key Ones?
As I have spoken about in my previous post “How to Thrive, Rather than Survive your First day of Teaching” which I will link below for you. It’s important not to worry too much about the curriculum for the first few weeks of school. You will want to instead be focusing on routines, boundaries and relationship building with your students. This includes but is not limited to: how to sit on the carpet, how to use active or whole body listening skills, how to not interrupt each other, how to use silent signals, how to stop, look and listen to you when you need their attention. Check out my post “Classroom Call Backs, How we use them, Why they Work”, also linked below. What are your bathroom routines? One student at a time? Everyone right before recess? How do you want them to walk down the hall? Rules for getting out work or centres, any supplies really and most importantly how to put them back! How to treat their workbooks, where to keep personal supplies and how to have indoor conversations.
Oh Right, The Curriculum!!
So for the first few weeks make sure you are focusing on things that look like your subject blocks, for familiarity. In this block we start with some math games as you begin collecting your data. This next block we do some reading and then stories. Then, some writing or picture drawing. Finally, some outdoor Science or Social Studies. So you are beginning to build consistency and structure into their day that looks familiar but you are allowing yourself time to have initial assessments and the children are able to socialize and form friendships with each other. You will want to have a journal for daily writing, I prefer journals because they don’t loose their papers. Math journals also a game changer. Start building and playing with your first set of groups and see what works for your kids. That’s it. Don’t stress out and over purchase, don’t reinvent the wheel, also allow yourself grace to think through during this beginning period what you really need before you over spend. Then submit your receipts.
With Love, C.
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