Beginning off the Year Right

I know we have only just started our summer break, but this is a great chance for reflection. I have joined up with several other teachers to share what is happening in our classrooms.

get my year started!

I love the beginning of the school year. It is a time to reconnect with my former students and meet my new students. In our district, we get our students from last year for about a week as the numbers are crunched and new classes are formed. Although this may seem like a waste of time in terms of getting started and digging into curriculum, it really is a great chance to help the kids get back into the school mode in a familiar surrounding. Review activities can be done as well as activities that allow for sharing summer adventures and stories.
When the new classes are formed, the children are moved to the new classrooms and they are introduced to their teachers. This is followed by getting to know you activities and exploration. Usually the main routines are introduced the following day.
I start off my year with a focus on self esteem and power words. We look at names, talents, and how to be optimists instead of pessimists. One of the sayings in my class is "Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?"
Some of my favorite stories for the beginning of the year are Chrysanthemum,
A Bad Case of Stripes, Howard B. Wigglebottom, The Name Jar, and Seven Habits for Happy Kids.

I don't really have many changes to make. I have found that my start up works very well for me and I have seen incredible changes in confidence and attitudes with my students as a result. I plan on using more Whole Brain Teaching ideas this year, but that is the main change I will be making.

I will definitely continue with my focus on self esteem and attitudes. This is so important for class team building, caring and respecting each other, and developing confidence.
I will also continue with my basic routines for powerful listening, quiet reading time, quiet work time, walking in hallways, and group work. These routines are important for creating a caring and respectful work environment.

Here are some of my start up materials. I use them every year. They make for a smooth start up and set the routines.

These start up forms are useful for keeping things organized during morning routines, setting up journal criteria, getting acquainted with students, and providing support for home reading.

These bookmarks are great for recognizing positive traits.

These charts help the children understand what different routines look like and sound like.

These are some classroom games that can be used for brain breaks or inside days.

These are some activities that are fun for those first few days of school.

Well, there you have it. I hope you find some of this helpful for your new year.