I have always had thoughts and concerns about the first days of school, and many questions about the possibility of my success with the new group of learners that I will teach during the school year, and these questions include:
- Will I be a teacher worthy of gaining students’ trust?
- What if there are different students?
- How can I establish a culture of respect and cooperation among members of the class community?
- How will I communicate with the class’s parents and set common goals with them?
And because pre-planning and thinking about these questions was the biggest support for me on the path of success in learning and teaching with students, I wanted to share some of the strategies I adopted during my humble teaching career:
The first strategy
Getting to know the students through members of the school community before the start of the semester. I advise all teachers to go to the administration to view student data from cumulative files and to send forms to their students’ parents to collect and analyze information and data for effective planning.
The second strategy
The open meeting: The open meeting with the parents has always been a golden opportunity to define common goals between the teacher and the parents. It is also an opportunity to share the vision, mission, and expectations related to the curriculum and the progress of the educational process.
The third strategy
- The first day for students is an irreplaceable opportunity to break the ice and reassure the learner that the learning process will be safe. Here I am going to share with you some ideas that you can use when preparing for the first day:
- Leave an encouraging and positive message in the corridor leading to your classroom, and indicate to the students to read it. The letter may include motivational words and individual goals that you set in advance in coordination with the parents at the introductory meeting, such as: “My student Sima, I hope this year/semester will be a wonderful station for you to express your ideas through creative drawings, I have seen some of them from your former teacher.” And I am sure that you will excel this year in art class.”
- Our Memories Tree: During the introductory meeting, I ask the parents to leave a message for their child. On the first day, ask the learner to read the letter and write a response to it to build confidence and build class community.
- Quiet corners and comfortable furniture: Design a quiet corner using household furniture from curtains, dim lights, and even comfortable sofas, so that this corner is a place for the learners and the teacher to show pictures of their families, or the people they love, and gradually the learners will understand the message that we all belong to a class society that accepts others and their differences.
- A stone and a wish: you can leave a basket containing stones, and ask each learner to write a wish that they would like to come true in your class.
- Who we are: You can design a logo or a name for the class with your students, or even a name for the team. Also, among the activities that promote understanding of cultures and differences is the activity “Different Houses, Different Cities”; In it, students can prepare a map, or a model, to display pictures of their homes or the cities from which they came, with the aim of understanding the differences and diversity between them, in appreciation of their selves and identity.
Fourth strategy
Charter and Classroom Agreements: Stemming from our conviction that the learner has an active role, and his voice is respected, we concluded classroom agreements that include the rules of procedure and expectations. We used to take advantage of the situations that happened to us to allow us to discuss them and add new items to them.
Fifth strategy
Everyone in our classroom community has the right to receive praise and support. From here, we launched the idea of a golden meeting every Thursday, so that we praise the positions taken by the student, and celebrate their achievements. We also adopted a system of incentives and moral rewards for all members of the classroom community (Token Economy System), and we used to collect points, and decide what moral reward we want to get, and examples of the reward are:
- Visit the principal’s office to speak with him.
- Organizing a concert with the students.
- Go for a walk.
- Come dressed in our favorite attire.
- Work in a corner of the learner’s choice.
- The collective motivation had a wonderful and positive impact on creating a safe, comfortable, and joyful classroom environment.
Sixth strategy: the game of expectations
Ask your students about their expectations of your class, and share your expectations with them. Let them know that your expectations of them will be high and that you look forward to your class being distinguished, with the ability to face challenges and difficulties with an open mind and high flexibility.
The seventh strategy: a unified message and vision
During the first days, students can work with the teacher to understand the school’s vision and mission, and then involve the students in formulating goals for the team.
The eighth strategy: a mailbox for effective communication
There may be shy students who do not want to speak in front of their peers in the first days of the semester, and therefore we recommend that there be ways to communicate, such as leaving a message for the teacher or peers in the box. It is possible to encourage them to leave new and inspiring ideas, to make the classroom environment safe and positive
Ninth Strategy: Comfortable and safe workspaces
Based on our conviction that students’ imagination and creativity have no limits, we have always been keen to involve students in designing learning spaces, asking them about organizing corners and interactive panels, as well as designing a plan to sit comfortably for the purpose of learning.
The tenth strategy: office hours
Meeting students outside the walls of the classroom has always been one of the most successful strategies for talking with students, actively listening to their ideas and suggestions, and working to support them. This meeting may be formal, i.e. in your office around the dialogue table, or informal, such as your presence in the dining hall, playgrounds, and other facilities, so that the student feels your presence and gains your trust.
Finally, we recommend that all new teachers collaborate with existing teachers, and make a difference by joining learning groups made up of former teachers and support educators. We also recommend them Online, to get instant advice and support from educational leaders. In addition, attending training workshops and reading articles centered on effective classroom management, to achieve the desired goals, and to ensure the success of the classroom community at the beginning of the teaching and learning journey.
Nadine Mohar
Supervisor of the Children’s Department – Arab International Academy (Lebanon – Qatar)
