Thursday, August 6, 2009

Kickoff

Earlier this week, I attended a beginning of the year "kickoff" with all of the teachers at my school. The principal had team-building activities in which we participated, and then provided lunch. Afterwards, there was some discussion of what the teachers really loved and really disliked about last year. Among the positives were school-wide procedures while many of the negatives consisted of breakfast in the classrooms. At this point, both of these make me a little uneasy! First, school-wide procedures works well, I'm sure, but I don't know them yet! It makes me a little nervous that I will be learning these procedures alongside my students. I feel like a freshman in college all over again! The other thing, about breakfast in the classrooms, makes me nervous because not one of the teachers had a positive thing to say about how it was being done. Here's how it will operate this year:
7:30 am--Doors open to school, students go straight to their classroom
7:55 am--Breakfast is brought in tubs from cafeteria to each classroom
8:15 am--Breakfast is cleaned up, tub is put outside room to be collected, class begins
Here are a few of the things I am worried about (please offer suggestions or advice on how to best handle this situation!):
  • Official school start time is 7:55. What do I do with the students as they meander in until then? Do I start them on morning work? Do I just have free choice, quiet activities available? What do I do with them for 25 minutes when I won't have all of my class yet?
  • 20 minutes to eat breakfast is a lot of time being taken out of scheduled class time. Can I have them start on morning work during that time. Is it ok to have them eat and work at the same time?
  • How do I handle this whole process on the first day of school?

Another worry that I am really struggling with right now stems from some news I received from the other 4th grade teacher--he will be absent for, at the very LEAST, the first 2 weeks of school. I will be starting out the year without a partner! I am, to say the least, freaking out.

Help!

From the ever-worrying,
Miss Davis

2 comments:

  1. Hi Allison!

    First, please don't worry! It'll be fine, I promise.

    In the morning, I say, give them free choice, quiet activities (books are wonderful for this). I wouldn't get them started as they come in; you'll be explaining and answering the same questions a dozen (at least) times.

    For breakfast: have them read silently when they finish eating. You might try some sort of incentive program to get them fired up; monthly prizes for most pages read, for example.

    I'm glad they're getting breakfast! So many kids don't get it at home.

    I know you're worried about the other teacher in your grade level, but please try not to. I'm sure there are other great teachers in your building you can go to for help. Also, don't be afraid to tell a kid, "I don't know, but I'll find out." We're human, and it's perfectly all right not to know things. And remember, as adults, we automatically know more than they do.

    Good luck and keep us posted,
    Liz

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  2. Oh boy!!! You really do have so much to worry about as a teacher! hahaha

    You know, the first day is always scary, not matter what you're doing. I'm sure you'll get settled in and learn what your children are comfortable with soon enough! I'm certain things will fall in palce-- although that absent 4th grade teacher is a litttttle bit scary. So, is there just oging to be a sub for him or something?

    GLL!!

    (bwt I want breakfast brought to me too...)

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