How to Survive the First Day of Middle School

Keeping your school supplies organized will avoid disruptions.

While the first day of middle school can be a daunting one for students, it can be just as nerve-wracking for teachers -- especially new teachers. But putting on a brave face on the first day is vitally important, as it will shape the rest of the school year. If you appear organized, friendly but firm and professional, your students will see you as such. If you're nervous and disorganized, your students may act out.

Instructions

1. Eat a full, healthy breakfast. Having an empty, gurgling stomach can make for a long morning, especially on the first day of school. Eat a breakfast rich in protein and carbohydrates to keep your stomach full and your energy level high until lunch. A typical breakfast can be fresh fruit, oatmeal and a bagel with peanut butter, or a plate of bacon, eggs and toast.

2. Organize the classroom well before the students arrive. When a group of 20 to 30 students barges into your classroom at the bell, the atmosphere quickly becomes chaotic. To make the experience as smooth as possible, have a class list ready to conduct attendance. If you want the class to have assigned seating, have name tags placed on each desk. Ensure there is a functional chair matched with each desk. Something as simple as one missing chair can create a distraction during your lesson.

3. Ensure your classroom's supply cabinet is fully stocked. Your school district may require students to bring their own school supplies to class, but having a locked or unlocked supply cabinet will come in handy when a student needs a certain item. For middle school, the cabinet should contain pens, pencils, markers, paper, workbooks and other office supplies. Label each area of the cabinet to avoid confusion and disruptions when a student is looking for a certain item.

4. Rehearse lesson plans well in advance of the first day of school until they become second nature. Because of the added stress of the first day, it is easy to get forgetful or confused during a lesson. Knowing the lesson's details will help keep you on track.

5. Explain expectations for classroom manners early in the first day to ensure there is no room for interpretation. Middle school students should know the classroom's basic rules, and your rules may be different from those of your fellow teachers. Indicate when students should ask permission during your class. For example, should they ask permission to use the pencil sharpener? Remind your students of the basic ground rules of the classroom, including no shouting, respecting their peers and raising their hands to ask questions.

6. Set goals for the first day. Because the first day can be busy with housekeeping-style tasks, your goals could be as simple as learning each student's name, showing the class where the pencil sharpener and water fountain are and introducing the course you will be teaching. Assign realistic times for achieving each of these goals.

References

• So You Want To Teach: Five Ways To Survive the First Day of School
• University of Hawaii: Ten Things to Make the First Day (and the Rest) of the Semester Successful
• Hot Chalk: Back to School: Tips and Strategies for the Middle School Years

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish