There are three things a teacher should do first to get ready for the beginning of school. They are setting up the student desk arrangement, checking the classroom technology, and getting the student supplies ready. More detail about these steps are in the article Three Things to Do to Set Up a Classroom. Once these tasks are complete, the job is halfway done. These next three steps will finish the classroom organization.
Set Up the Teacher Desk and Classroom Supplies
The teacher desk should be set up in a location where the students can see the teacher, and the teacher can see the students. Do not put any tall files or shelving in front of the desk that might block the view of the classroom. Set up the teacher desk away from the door or where students line up. This helps prevent minor thefts and other mishaps.
Leave plenty of open workspace on the teacher desk for grading papers and lesson planning. A lamp on the desk will help give it a more comfortable feeling and prevent eye fatigue.
Once the teacher desk is set up, check the classroom supplies inventory. Now is not the time for rearranging the cupboards, because there is still much to do before the first day of school. Just knowing what supplies are in the room and where they are is enough for now. If any more supplies are needed, order them immediately.
Make Lesson Plans for the First Week of School
The lesson plans for the first week of school should lean heavily on learning classroom procedures and reinforcing the classroom management plan. Effective teachers focus on routines, procedures, and classroom management strategies the first week, because without these, no learning will happen. Once the students know the routines, then the regular classroom curriculum can begin.
Run any copies and gather all materials needed for the first classroom activities of the first week. Have a tray or file system ready to keep the lesson plans and materials in until they are needed. The first week of school may be tiring, so having all the plans ready ahead of time will ease the burden on the new teacher.
Bulletin Boards, Bookcases, and Student Filing Systems
The last things to prepare are bulletin boards. Begin with a bulletin board or sign on the door that lists the names of the students in the class. Next, a bulletin board with morning procedures will leave no doubt in students’ minds about what to do when they enter the classroom. Last, set up other bulletin boards as needed. These can be added to and completed before Back to School Night.
Organize the bookcases and the classroom library with tubs, containers, and shelves. Student filing systems for work completed, work to be graded, and work to be handed back may be set up now. Last of all, make a spot for posting the assignments or topics for each day, and write the first day of school activities in it.
In summary, these ideas for classroom setup at the beginning of the year work for primary classrooms all the way through high school classrooms. When the room is organized, the teacher and students will feel confident on that first day of school.
Read the article Three Things to Do to Set Up a Classroom listed above to learn how to get started. Find out Where to Get Cheap Student Whiteboards.
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