Coming off a busy, exciting, exhausting summer, this sure would have been nice on the first day as I started to adjust to the routine again!

The first day of school was an excellent experience as a student teacher.  Fresh in my mind as I entered the building that day was Wong’s The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher.  Was this going to be a good model of Wong’s ideal classroom?  As it turns out, several of Wong’s ideas were evident in the classroom.  Three aspects of classroom management in first few minutes were incredibly important for setting the stage for the entire year.  First, each student had a seating assignment as soon as they walked in the room.  We were able to meet some of the students the day before the first day of school at Back to School night.  We used this opportunity to take notes on some first impressions on the students who may be talkative in class, attentive in class, and students who may need assistance staying on task.  We took these observations into consideration when we made the seating chart.  Additionally, we assigned seats to students with IEPs on the outside columns and front row in class, to allow for accessibility by both aides and teachers.  Second, my collaborative teacher and I made a point to greet each student as they walked through the door.  We tried to speak to each student, pointing them to find their assigned seat, and look at the sideboard.  Third, as the students walked in, they were directed to start their bellwork.  This was just the beginning of setting the routine for every class for the school year.  Students were made aware of the expectation from the first day that they were to come into the classroom and begin their bellwork.  Overall, it was a great first day for an exciting school year!