13 Ways to Beat the First-Day Jitters

Some Steps to Take Before School Begins

From the NEA's New Member CD

You're bound to have some first-day jitters. But thinking and walking through a few steps -- before school begins -- will boost your confidence. Here are 13 steps you can take:

1. Know the rules.
Get acquainted beforehand with school policies and procedures, such as opening and closing hours, attendance procedures, fire drill regulations, lunchroom regulations, nurse services.

2. Find out where things are.
Familiarize yourself with the building. Locate the exits, the principal's office, the gym, the nurse's office, the cafeteria, the supply room, the faculty lounge, the media center, and so forth.

3. Introduce yourself.
Meet the teachers on your hall. They can be of real help in the first few weeks of school. And take the time to say "hello" to other important people in your building: the librarians, the counselors, the school nurses, the cafeteria workers, and custodians.

4. Decorate your room.
Get your room ready. Make sure our classroom is friendly and livable for opening day. Put up pictures, design a colorful bulletin board, and add a few plants.

5. Use traditional seating.
Start with the traditional arrangement of desks until you have established control and know your students' names. Make a temporary seating plan. (You'll want to change it later, but it'll put you in command on opening day and help you learn names.)

6. Get your materials ready.
Make sure you have all the materials you'll need for getting school underway: paper, pencils, books, and so forth.

7. Schedule your time.
Make a detailed schedule for the first few days, including times for each subject, restroom and lunch breaks, and other times your students will leave the room.

8. Get there early.
On the first morning, arrive early so you'll have time to ask any last-minute questions, go over final plans, and relax before the students come in.

9. Greet your pupils.
Be in your room when the pupils arrive. Have your name written on the chalkboard. Greet the students with a smile and a pleasant "Good morning." Encourage them to be seated and remain so.

10. Get down to business.
Make opening exercises brief. Your goal for the morning is to get down to the business at hand.

11. Plan, plan, plan.
Create lesson plans for the first few days. Plan at least twice as much as you think you can cover. Write down everything. Detailed plans will provide you a feeling of security when facing the class for the first time.

12. Go over the rules.
Introduce your students to your classroom rules and regulations the first day. There must be a way of getting books and materials, of sharpening pencils, of entering and leaving the room, and so forth.

13. Start the learning.
Make the first day of school a real one. Accomplish some constructive learning with your students. A good start yields big dividends later on.

Related Links

» 12 Ways to Maintain Classroom Discipline -- Helping students to govern their own behavior in ways that help them learn. From New Jersey Education Association.

» Creating a Professional Image -- Presenting yourself to the school community. From North Carolina Association of Educators' Tools for Success: A Handbook for New Teachers' Professional Growth.

» 30 Questions You Should Ask During the First Days of School -- Learning school procedures. From North Carolina Association of Educators' Tools for Success: A Handbook for New Teachers' Professional Growth.

» Advice from the Field -- Tips and suggestions from experienced teachers. From LEARN North Carolina.

» Survival Guide for New Teachers -- Ideas to help new teachers  work effectively with veteran teachers, parents, principals, and teacher educators. From the U.S. Department of Education, May 2000.

Source: National Education Association's New Member CD, 2000-2001.