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Refilling Station

Running on Empty? You Need a “Refill Station”

This spring, many educators and administrators experienced working from home for the first time. We were teaching, leading, and planning in the same spaces where we cook, clean, parent children, care for pets, exercise, relax, and sleep. Our work life and home life suddenly merged without any time to plan…

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Photography by Jeff Woodward.

Our Hopes and Dreams for School

“What are your hopes and dreams for the school year?” Many teachers ask this question in the first weeks of school to help students get excited about learning and make a personal connection to what they will learn in school. Inviting students to name learning goals (hopes and dreams) right…

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Photograpgh by Jeff Woodward.

Looking Ahead to Next Year: The First Day of School

As the school year draws to a close, you’re probably thinking about ways to keep students engaged in their learning during the last weeks of school. But now is also a good time to reflect on the successes and challenges of the school year and consider how you’ll begin the…

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Photograph by Jeff Woodward.

The First 12 Weeks of PE

Starting on the first day of school, students wait excitedly at the door for PE to begin. And as soon as they see me, they always pepper me with questions: "What are we doing today?" "Can we play Excuse Me, Tag?" "Can we go full speed now?" "When are we…

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The First Days of School

What can you do, this school year, to bullyproof your classroom? Establishing a positive classroom climate where kindness prevails and everybody is included is a vital first step. On these first days of school, as we sit down with students to establish a climate of safety, an important way to…

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Back to School with Children’s Books

Reading aloud can be a powerful way to build community and shared understanding at the beginning of the school year. My classes and I used to laugh and talk all year about the picture book Table Manners by Chris Raschka and Vladimir Radunsky, and the first chapter book we read…

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A New Teacher’s First Day

I was so nervous as I prepared for my first year of teaching! I worried that the kids wouldn't listen, their parents would think I was too young to teach, and the first day would be a disaster. But then, when the first day actually came, something happened that completely…

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First Day Memories

I never loved the first day of school. My teaching depended so much upon knowing my students, and until I got to know them, I never felt entirely comfortable. Having said that, I do have many happy first day memories, including a funny story from my first day of teaching kindergarten.…

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On the First Day, Less Is More

When I started teaching, I always planned way too much for the first days of school. It took me a while to learn to make the first day of school a comfortable, successful day—for my students and myself. Once I became more experienced, I pared down my first day plans…

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Clean Slates

This summer I spent a week working with a group of teachers in Denver who are embarking on an amazing adventure together. They had come from all over the country to teach at a new charter school, and they actually met each other for the first time at our workshop.…

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Read-Alouds for the First Day of School

The other day Jen Audley sent me a link to a blog entry about the first day of school that really got me thinking about the children who come to our classes and how thoughtful we need to be from the moment we meet them. Carol, the author, respectfully questions…

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Books for Back to School: Falling Down the Page

I love visiting bookstores, especially children’s bookstores, when I’m traveling. This summer, while I was on the road for work, I discovered lots of new books. (Truth be told, I also spent a little more than I should have on books for my toddler at home!) Over the coming weeks,…

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Here’s an Idea! Human Treasure Hunt

This video is excerpted from The First Day of School in a Responsive Classroom, which was filmed on the actual first day of school in Caltha Crowe's third grade classroom in 2007. Caltha mentions using this activity at arrival time on the first day of school in "Knowing All Our…

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New Teacher’s Toolkit: First Days

From the day school starts, you'll probably have about a three day grace period when most children are going to be on their best behavior. After that they'll start to relax, and once they feel more comfortable, you can expect them to begin testing the rules, and you. Use your…

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Building a Sense of Ownership

Question: In the book The First Six Weeks of School, co-authors Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete emphasize the importance of helping students feel a sense of comfort and ownership in the classroom from the very first days of school. How do teachers do this? We asked a few to share their…

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Categories

Classroom Management & Discipline

Positive Community

Teacher Language

Morning Meeting

First Weeks of School

Engaging Academics

Energizers & Activities

Positive Language

Special Times in the Year

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