I have been fortunate enough to have some amazing mentors in education over the years. The type of mentors who seem like Yoda and Dumbledore and Gandalf…times 10, because they have spent their lives somehow leading teenagers of every stripe effectively through seemingly everything (thanks 2020). Probably some of the best advice I ever got early in my career came from one of these paragons of pedagogy: “If you want a behavior, you have to teach the behavior.”
It sounds simple, but particularly as a teacher of teens, I know I often found myself making a lot of assumptions about what my students “should know how to do”. Then, obviously, getting super frustrated when they…well…definitely didn’t.
However, I started leaning into “teaching behaviors.” I never talked down to my students, just spent a couple seconds explaining simple expectations and procedures. Things like how a group should look (facing each other with desks together, not shouting across the room), where papers should go (turned in to a basket by my door – not set on my desk in some random pile….when I am not looking….and without telling me), and how to appropriately approach the pencil sharpener, tissue box, etc. and make their way calmly (without distracting friends) back to their desk (I taught a lot of freshmen…:)).
When I stopped assuming and started teaching, I was happier and my kids were more independent. In turn, my start of the year really started to center on this idea of teaching and learning behaviors and expectations together…in a way that was not super lame for me or my kiddos.
Harnessing the Power of the New Year: Positive Expectations and Problem Solving
Over my 10+ years of experience, I find this to be true of just about everyone: students and teachers alike start the year really wanting to do well. Sure, there is a certain level of fear in firsts, but, also, optimism. Run with it!
I always start with positive classroom expectations. After all, there is nothing quite like crushing that first day “can do” attitude with a list 30 bullet points long of things kids “can’t do”. This isn’t to say I don’t set high expectations – high expectations are key! – but I try to consider the language I use and how I present these expectations to my kiddos.
For example, rather than saying “don’t leave your book in your locker”, “don’t ask me to print your paper for you”, “don’t forget your pen in your lover either” etc. I try something like “come prepared to do your best every day”. Then, I talk about what that looks like (having your gosh darn book for starters!)!
I also find it helpful to have kids problem solve common issues that first day (ex. what do I do when I forgot my gosh darn book?). It’s a nice way to get students to think about consequences and outline my expectations and their expectations. I use this resource, but you can also come up with a list of your own issues you really want to address up front. I then take these common issues and do a think-pair-share about consequences and solutions for the common issues. It works really well! I even find myself refering back to this start of the year conversation throughout the year as needed.
Obviously, you can’t go over every situation that will come up the entire year, but I have found positive expectations and opening a dialogue about these expectations goes a long way for setting a positive classroom climate!
Rigor…ish
I highly recommend spending some time to get to know your kids the first day. Sharing fun facts, doing quick ice breakers, questionnaires that cover both fun and helpful details about students: all of that can really help set a positive tone. However, I also don’t think “rigor” and “fun” are mutually exclusive (though, too often they are treated that way).
I think the first day (or first few days) can be a great way to signal to kids that “hey, we will do tough stuff in here, but I am here to help, and some of the stuff we will do that is tough is also really cool. Learning is cool. Challenge is cool.”
I have seen teachers do excellent nonfiction articles about greetings from around the world, bring in excerpts from a good book they read over the summer, and I personally love to do this activity about goal setting and often share this TED Talk activity about procrastination (both are engaging AND offer practice with key standards we will work with throughout the year).
Firsts are always a bit stressful, but also full of opportunities. All the best in this unique (that’s a word for it…right?) school year and the years to come!