by Rebecca Weinstein

Created on: February 25, 2009

Each new school year, I find it hard to sleep the night before school begins. It never gets any easier, no matter how prepared I am. It may be the excitement of the new faces, or my mind working overtime to be sure I haven't forgotten anything. Whatever the reason, it's still hard to sleep. As a new teacher, you may find it hard to sleep the night before classes begin too. Hopefully, with these tips you will find it a little easier to rest the night before that big first day of school.

1. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

If you make your policies and procedures very clear from day one, your students are apt to follow them. This is the most important element to making the classroom organized and productive for the rest of the school year. At the beginning of each period, plant yourself right in front of the classroom door so that no student may enter without acknowledging you. A "Good morning, I'm Mrs. Weinstein" and a handshake is a great way to being your relationship with each student. Hopefully they will introduce themselves as well. If they fail to do so, do not let them pass. They must show their respect by introducing themselves to you, as you have shown them respect by introducing yourself.

The very next thing is to have your students perform their first procedure, which in this case is a "do now". Whether it is sketching in a sketchbook, writing in a journal, or reading an article, this helps to settle the class down while you take attendance and organize your thoughts to begin the class. Having your students perform this procedure on day one will ensure that they perform this procedure throughout the semester. One year, I had students pick up pencils and paper at the front of the room, find a seat of their liking, and draw a still life at their desk. Each student enters the room singally, after introductions. Every year there are a few students who do not follow directions by picking up the paper and pencil on the way to their seat, so, rather than have issues with following instructions and procedures later, I gently correct them by having them come all the way back to pick the items up and then go find a seat. All the while, there is a line of students at the door waiting to come into the classroom, so this demonstration shows the other students waiting that they are to follow the correct procedure from the beginning as well.

2. RULES, PROCEDURES, AND ORGANIZATION

Setting clear rules that are visible in the classroom at all times is essential to good classroom management

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