Category: first day

first day, hopes, new year

A Hope for the First Day of School

Pernille Ripp

In the movies they often speak about that one day that changes everything.  The moment in which the world stood still or tilted on its side or whatever cosmic thing that can happen, happened.  That day that changed someone forever.  And as much as I love the movies, I don’t think our lives can depend on just one day.  I think it can depend on many “one day’s,” a collection of big days that compounds us and define us, creating the person we want to be.

One of those days is the first day of school.  The real first day, not the ones where parents show up and you wear your finest clothes and you smile and socialize and talk and try to not show how insanely nervous you are.  No, the one after that.  The one where the students show up after the bell rings and try to remember where their desks are, try to remember your name, try to remember what was all said the day before.  That day can change everything.
We worry about the impression we make on parents, did we get our message across?  Did we plant the seed of relationship?  Do they really trust us as professionals?  But do we worry enough about the impression we make on our students?  Has that seed of trust been planted or is it simply taken for granted?
So on that first day of school, that real first day, I want to reach out and connect.  I want to laugh a lot.  I want to excite, I want to work, and I want to bare myself.  I want to invest, to relish, and to trust my students.  I want them to feel they are at home, that our room is safe, and that 5th grade will be just as magical as they hoped it would.  I want to make a day that changes their lives, I want to be part of their collection of “one day’s.”  I hope it is not asking too much.    

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being a teacher, first day, new year

So What Do You Do on the First Day of School?

Pernille Ripp
Friday it happened. That wonderful, magical, nightmare inducing first day with the kids. It went fast, in fact, besides the occasional hunger pang from not having lunch until 12:30, I didn’t notice the passing of the day much. Just a blur and then done.

So what does a teacher do on their first day? We laughed a lot. We also spoke a lot. I led some discussions but the kids did most of the talking, sharing, and deciding. We discussed rules but not in a traditional sense with me setting them, rather we discussed what they already knew. What types of rules are helpful for a classroom? Why do teachers set rules? Do we need them posted or do we know them by heart?  In fact, I wrote a whole post on the rules discussion we missed.

But we also worked on clerical stuff like lunch magnets, popsicle sticks, pencil cup name tags and where in the world do you put your lunch box.  The kids asked questions, dispelled myths about their teacher – for some reason they say I am fun and I don’t know where they have that from.  They also tried to figure out what the 10 pictures below meant to their teacher.  They all thought I liked to collect china and liked to kick rocks.

And then we connected, we opened up and we just came together.  I shared how nervous I get before the first day of school. I shared how excited I was and how I couldn’t wait to learn with them.  I shared how we have one word that shows us as a class and that word is represent.  We live up to that word in whatever we do.

I challenged them in the Bloxes challenge, which if you haven’t tried this with your students, you should.  We spent time with the other 5th grade classrooms because we believe that we are on this grade level and that all of the kids are our kids.  And then the end of the day.  How to dismiss, how to remember everything, and already sad to say goodbye.  These kids snuck into my heart faster than I had thought possible and I am thankful for them.  I get to be a part of their life this year; what a gift.  One student said it best at the end of the day as I waved goodbye, “Thank you.”  And I wanted to say, “No, thank you.”

classroom management, first day, hidden rules, new teacher

Do We Need to Set the Rules? Or Do Kids Already Know Them?

Pernille Ripp
Photo Courtesy of Bloggertone

Yesterday was my very first day with my 24 new 5th graders.  I don’t know who was more nervous; me or them.  As we got settled into our new tables, 23 sets of eyes on me  (one child is still on vacation) eagerly awaiting what this teacher would share with them I asked; what is the first thing teachers usually talk about on the first day of school?  Hands shot up and one child blurted out “Rules!”

It’s true, isn’t it?  One of the first things we welcome students into our rooms with is indeed the discussion of rules.  Walk into almost any classroom on the first day of school and somewhere on the agenda is a discussion of rules or an explanation of the rule poster that is already on the wall.  As some of you may know, there are no rules posted in my room.  And yet the kids knew that rules had to be discussed.  They knew it was important, they knew that in fact it is one of the first things we choose to welcome students with.

The room got really quiet, the kids were waiting for me to list the rules but I didn’t.  Instead I asked them whether they knew the rules?  A couple of kids nodded.  “Again, don’t you already know the rules of a classroom?”  More nods.  “Isn’t this your 6th year in school?”  All nodded and starting to wake up a little.  “Do you need me to explain the rules or can you tell me what they are?”  With this, the buzzing started.  That little bit of chatter that kids get involved in when they start to see the light.  “We know the rules, I know how to act, we can set the rules….”

So I told them to discuss rules at their tables; what works for a classroom, what type of environment do we need to learn in, what do you need, and the kids took it from there.  They all brainstormed and then shared their ideas and guess what; they knew it all.  How to respect, how to work, how to be a community.  We discussed fidgeting which in my book just means the teacher is boring or you need to get out of your seat.  We discussed interruptions and blurting out, how to be safe, how to be nice (You don’t have to be friends with everyone, but you do have to be nice to them).  And then we decided that we didn’t need to discuss anymore because we all knew what the expectations were.  In fact, they decided we didn’t need to post our discussion because our rules are going to change and that maybe they shouldn’t be called rules but rather just expectations.  And with that our expectations were set and for now I don’t need to spend anymore time discussing them.

I gave my students a voice and let them lead and they showed me they already know.  I am so excited for the rest of the year.

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being a teacher, first day, inspiration, new teacher

Dear First Year Pernille

Pernille Ripp
Image from here

Dear First Year Pernille,
You did it!  You got the job you set your heart on and now comes the part you have been looking forward to; teaching!  I know life has a lot in store for you this first year, already you are 4 months pregnant on the first day of school, and yet there are just a few things I want you to know before you start.

Stop stressing over your room!  Now is the time to be outside going for a walk, not laboring over the placement of posters, bulletin boards or welcome signs.  The kids will hardly notice it so give yourself a break.  Even if it feels like a hallway bulletin board competition at times – it’s not.

Ask more questions.  Your teammates are some of the kindest and smartest people around.  Don’t feel that you are a burden or that you should already know.  You are new, don’t feel like you have to act like you already know the answer.

Trust your gut.  Feel that little tingle in your stomach?  Besides the baby, that’s your intuition trying to tell you to listen to it.  So absolutely go ahead and use some of those same programs but then spend some time finding yourself as well. Make this your room with your teaching style, not a watered down version of someone else’s.

Allow yourself to fail.  The students love it when we fail, why?  Because it shows we are humans.  The sooner you embrace your failures as another step in learning, the sooner you can get over it, and the more you will be a role model for the kids.

Don’t beat yourself up.  Not everything will be perfect, even for an overachiever like yourself.  Some days will be amazing, others will not.  Don’t worry there will be more good than bad but when those bad ones come around – give yourself a break.

Smile.  Love. Laugh.  Share.  Think.  Reflect.  Question.  Be kind.  Be brave.  Be you.  Everything is going to be just fine.  Oh, and do get on Twitter.

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