The First Days of School

Stephanie Finley
Seating Plans

This would be my ideal set-up for a

classroom as it has an accessible
interior loop that allows me to
effectively reach all students. It can
accommodate 32+ students that are
easily transitioned into pairs or groups.
The supplies desk being by the door
makes it easy for students to grab
materials on their way into class, and
my desk being off to the side leaves
ample room for me to move around
at the front and clear visibility to the
smart board for students.
 Coming and Going

 Being that I am teaching in the I/S stream, I trust my students are

responsible and know appropriate behaviour/timing for coming into
and leaving the classroom.
 If a student is late, they are expected to come prepared with a
note/late slip, place it on my desk and quietly take their seat and
catch up from a classmate at a convenient time.
 If a student needs to leave early, they should let me know prior
to class starting if possible and quietly pack up and leave when
they need to. If something unexpected comes up, the student
may go to the office to get a note for me prior to leaving.
 Coming and Going (cont)

 As for bathroom/locker visits, students are expected to follow the policies of

the school accordingly
 Often this means bringing a hall pass which I trust students can fill out on their
own and leave when appropriate
 For the most part, students should avoid leaving during lecture time if
possible, and should also try to follow a one-person-at-a-time out and 5
minute max rule.
 Should I notice students are abusing their freedom, (ex. leaving too often/for
too long) they will be given a warning and after 2 warnings their privilege to
leave at their own discretion will be revoked and they will need my permission
to leave.
 Routines

 As for routine in my classroom I have a few ideas I would like to implement to keep the
class running as smooth as possible:

 1. On a supplies table by the door there will be 3 bins: one for extra
worksheets students can grab if they were absent, another for
students to turn in completed work, and one for today’s handouts.
 2. To begin class, students can grab the handouts for the day from
the supplies table on their way in, take their seat, and have a clear
desk besides their notebooks, pen, and handouts/assignments.
 3. To end class, students can pack up 3-4 minutes before the bell
unless otherwise instructed, socialize quietly, and hand in anything
necessary to the bin on the supplies table before leaving.
Routines (cont.)

 4. Fridays ideally would be a catch up/ help/ review day if time

allows to make sure all students are where they need to be and I
have all assignments turned in for assessment over the weekend.
 5. I would also like to avoid having major assessments on
Mondays/ Fridays as students are often not at their peak
before/after the weekend or are absent for extra-curriculars.
 6. Students can choose their own seat which will be their seat for
a month or so until they can switch it up. Should there be conflict
or recurring distractions, I will rearrange students to a more
appropriate location.
 Classroom Etiquette

 Given that my students are young adults, I expect a high level of respect
and appropriate behaviour from them towards me and their peers.
 I will express to my students that the classroom is an open and safe space
for them to be.
 It will be clear from day 1 that there will be no tolerance for discrimination
of any kind whether it be towards race, culture, sexual orientation etc.
 If a student is disrespectful/ discriminatory towards anyone at all it will be
dealt with immediately, firstly in private, but if it continues it will be
addressed publicly so the entire class knows this is not something I
tolerate. If the behaviour continues, the student may be sent to
administration.
 Classroom Protocols

 Students are expected to come prepared to class with all necessary materials,
however if they have forgotten something they may quickly go to their locker or
borrow from me if available. I will have spare pencils, rulers, etc. on the supplies
table at the front they must return before leaving at the end of class.
 Students may have their phones with them on silent mode. They should not be used
during lecture or lab time unless instructed but they are free to use them for music,
research etc. during work time. If the phone is becoming a distraction I will ask them
to place it in their backpack, or on my desk.
 As for talking in class, students should refrain from doing so during lectures, but are
encouraged to communicate during lab/work time as long as it is appropriate and
not distracting themselves or their peers.
 When it comes to discussion and asking/answering questions during lectures
students will be encouraged to guide themselves; I will not be picking on who talks
but rather they should take equal turns to speak and be respectful towards one
another. If necessary they can raise their hand to get my attention or say my name.
 Cognitive Practices

 Wait time – I expect my students to be respectful of me and their peers,

however if they get out of hand I plan to use wait time to regain their
attention, however I cannot constantly be wasting time waiting for them
to quiet down so if the issue persists I will discuss respect and time
management with them
 Fist of Five – After I have finished a lesson on a new topic I plan on using
fist of five to allow for a quick Assessment for learning
 Extra help – Should students need it I will make myself available during
lunch or after school to assist them
 Movement – If I feel my students have been sitting for too long I will have a
stretch or walk break or play a game to allow them a mental break
 Learning Goals

 Learning goals is something I want to use from Day 1 so I and the

students get into the habit of having them
 I would like to have a white board at the front of the room where I
write the learning goals for the day, along with a schedule of “to
do’s” for the day
 Most days I would like to have 1-3 learning goals I attempt to cover
during the class
 When appropriate, such as during peer presentations, I would like
to have students create their own learning goals with me much like
success criteria
 The First Five Days

 The first week of a new semester/year is the most important as it sets the tone
and so there are a few things I would like to include:
 1. Ice breakers/ exit cards or any other forms of getting to know my students and
for them to get to know each other
 2. Letters sent home to parents where I explain who I am, my goals, what they
can expect students to learn, and a contact form to be returned to me
 3. Some form of interactive demonstration, POE, game etc. to get students
engaged in the subject area
 4. A questionnaire for students to fill out so I can get an understanding of their
current knowledge in the subject and what other classes they are in
 5. And of course a syllabus review so students know what is expected of them in
this class
 Modifications

 Given that I am hoping to be a science teacher, some of these practices

may be modified to suit the environment such as:
 1. The seating plan may be altered to straight rows or an alternate plan to
accommodate for lab stations/benches
 2. Safety would play a larger part in the first couple days of school after I get
to know the students so activities such as WHMIS should be included.
 3. Students should ask to leave the room during a lab to ensure it is an
appropriate time/ their station is attended by someone while they are gone.
 4. If students are late to a lab they need to come see me before jumping in
or if they know they need to leave early or will be absent they need to talk
to me about alternate plans.