How do I make a good impression on my first day as a first year Teacher.

Question

How do I make a good impression on my first day as a first year Teacher.

Answer 1

With the students- remember, you are the teacher, not a buddy. You are there to teach, maintain an orderly classroom, and some degree of discipline - easier in some districts than others. Don't try to be anyone's mother. Maintain the line of teacher/student right from the beginning.

W/teachers  - don't go in ready to change the world, the curriculum or the way things are done. Veteran teachers don't take kindly to new teachers coming into their territory and imparting all your "new/fresh" ideas. Remember that you are fresh out of college with lots to prove before you are taken seriously. You may have a lot to offer, but don't try to "show them what I know" right away.

Dress professionally, act professionally, speak professionally. You are being watched by both staff and students - most of whom are just waiting for you to s***w up.

It gets easier, more comfortable, and actually fun.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Turn up early.

Know your lesson (plan it inside out).

Be courteous to your fellow teachers.

Be ruthless with the students and make sure they know who's boss.

Dress well.

Answer 3

Deborah,  Do not make the (sadly for the teachers) very common first-year-teacher mistake of trying to be your students' friend.  You are an adult and they are children.  Deep down they don't want you to be their friend....they already have lots of those.  They will actually come to disrespect you if you go down that road.  They might even turn on you if they are grade 6 or older.  You will notice that experienced teachers never worry about whether the kids like them or not or are shy about letting the kids know who is the boss.  They want you to be the adult you are and their leader.  Make sure you give your class the impression that you mean business.  That means no smiling, no frowns, but a neutral facial expression: look as though you are there to do a job.  (As the year progresses you can lighten up but it is always a good idea to switch into your I mean business mode when you are trying to teach.)  It doesn't mean being mean or nasty but being confident and knowing that you are in charge and control and have something that needs to get done.  Confidence is hard to fake but it will come.  It means having every minute of every day planned out and having everything ready to go.  This makes the children feel that you are actually trying to get something done and not just being their babysitter.  They will feel secure and feel that they are actually getting stuff done.  I teach grades 2, 3, 4 and 7 and so I can tell you that even the little ones respond to my I mean business attitude.  I am not unkind or cold but when I am teaching, I am teaching.  Idle hands really are the tools of the devil so write a daily agenda on the board and stick to it as much as possible.  On your first day don't waste too much time with ice breaker activities:  just do a short simple one that will allow YOU a chance to get to know them a little.  There will be lots of opportunities during the school year for the kids to get to know each other better and for you to get to know them. Don't reveal too much about yourself either:  be a little mysterious.  They have a whole school year to get to know you.  If you are going to allow your kids to help you draw up the class rules, make sure you already know which ones YOU want; and don't make them too specific or numerous.  Remember, you will have to follow through with consequences and the more rules there are, the more time you will spend monitoring to see if they are being followed and if they are not, handing out consequences.  Always give an offender a warning or two before you consequence his or her behaviour.  If you use an incentive system (I don't because I can't be bothered to follow it and I don't believe that a good teacher really needs it), it does take time out of your day to do it but the kids usually like it.  I have witnessed however that they also come to expect to be rewarded for any good behaviour.  Never shout or raise your voice.  Silence, hand signals, clapping, anything non-verbal works better than raising your voice.  Keep your face neutral and let your body to speak for you.  What I mean is that kids respond much quicker to your body language than they do to anything you say to them.  So stand straight with shoulders back, still, and facing any perpetrators.  There is a great book that teaches you to use your body rather than your voice to get the kids to behave.  I think that it is by Frederick L. Jones and I think that it is entitled, Positive Reinforcement.  On your first day you might want to have a little group work activity.  Have them work together to build something or accomplish something...lots of ideas on-line...but keep it simple.  They can even work in groups of 2 or 3 to come up with a list of class rules and then present it to the class. The purpose of the acitivity is for the kids to have a little fun (kids love making rules) and for you to see how the kids work in groups.  Explain your most important procedures on the first day:  bathroom routine, checking homework, asking a question, recess, entering classroom, etc.  You can add one or two procedures each day after that.  Start math and language arts the second day so handing out the textbooks and notebooks for these subjects can be something you can do on the first day.  It takes them about 3 weeks to get into the groove of things so you need to get these subjects started asap.  You will find that it takes the kids a long time to complete a lesson the first couple of weeks...things will speed up. So, you can add your other subjects one by one the second and third week.  On your first day, you might want to tell the kids what work they will be doing first term....I always show my class which chapters we will be covering in math first term; what kinds of reading we will be doing (I show them their readers); I discuss the different kinds of writing we will be doing (and show them models if I have them);  I discuss what we will be doing in social studies, science, the arts, any class trips, guest speakers, etc.  I do this to get them excited about school and give them an idea of just how much work we have to get done.  Also,  have a newletter ready to go home sometime during the first week of school.  Write one each month.  An informed parent (and principal) is a happy parent (and principal).  Half your newsletters won't make it into the parents' hands but don't worry...that is not your problem.  The principal has seen and approved it and that is all that matters...Keep a copy on file in the office or your classroom.  Oh boy, I have strayed off track.  To summarize:  welcome kids to grade; briefly introduce yourself; have any kids new to the school briefly introduce themselves (just thought of that); give a tour around the classroom (I just remembered that one...walk the younger ones around the romm, but not the older ones{label areas of the classroom}); explain a few important procedures and if the kids are younger spend time practising them;  discuss the work they'll be doing first term and hand out textbooks and notebooks; do an icebreaker activity; draw up/discuss classroom rules;  if you don't have the kids work in small groups to draw up rules do a group activity...do not make groups bigger than 3;  do not put your students in groups...I have found that they love to sit in a U-shape arrangement (I don' t know)....I always assign them a desk (put a strip of masking tape in the top right hand corner of the desk, write their first and last name on it and cover it with cello tape:  supply teachers and visitors will love you for this...don't make labels for the front of their desks because whose gonna see them if and when they move their desks into groups....and arrange them boy/girl.  Never be afraid to rearrange desks.  If they are chatty, sit them in rows or pairs.  If they sit in groups try a T-shape arrange of 3 desks.  Switch the groups up every 2 weeks.  I am sure other teachers will give you more suggestions.  I hope my suggestions help.  Good luck.  Relax.  Be confident and prepared.  Enjoy your first year.  You won't get everything right your first year.

Answer 4

Go to the nearest bookstore and buy Harry Wong's "First Day's of School."  Best investment I ever made!  

Answer 5

Do not be barbaric and do not rule with an iron fist. Children are looking for guidance, instruction, and support. The teacher should also engage in fairness and impartiality if they are to gain a child's confidence and respect.  If teachers are to be effective and well liked, they will challenge the child to think and entice them in an atmosphere of encouragement, and not be coercive, punitive, or threatening, which is defeating and will not gain you any points. If you opt to operate in this way, in the long run,  you will burn out within 5 years. Additionally, you will be talked about, however, the talk will not be good.  Guaranteed.

Schools have way to many of those types already and they do not affect children in a positive manner and many children are actually scarred by their exposure.  

Think of whom in teaching you admire, and what characteristics they possessed to gain your admiration. Then mold those traits and qualities into your own style. Breathe.  You do not have to conquer the world in one day.

To make a good impression,  simply be yourself, as when you went to school to become a teacher and that experience was new, you wished to make a good impression on that day as well.

There are many teachers who could learn from you. At least you are asking questions. Those who think they know all the answers, are the scariest ones out there, as they believe they know it all and there is not another thing that one can tell them. Then there are those who wish to tell you how to do everything or not do everything.

Seek, challenge, and reward and you shall be rewarded!