Tips for a Good Impression on the First Day of School
The first day of school may be challenging for both students and teachers. Students typically worry about their classes and impressing their future teachers and new classmates. Teachers might worry about meeting the many expectations of their students and how to connect with each student successfully. The first day of school may seem like a complex game of psychological tug of war, but you can use surefire ways to put your best foot forward.
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Students: Preparation
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Students are typically extremely excited or extremely nervous about the first day of school. In both cases, the usual reason is that the student wants to be as ready as possible when entering school. Preparing all the items the night before is crucial to a successful first day. If the student will change rooms, write down the class schedule and the room numbers for each class on paper. Have a map of the campus on hand if possible as well. Additionally, set aside a generous period of time to try on the next day's clothes. Most likely, a person will be initially judged by others based on his clothes. He must make sure that the clothes not only look right but also feel right in portraying his personality.
Parents: Preparation
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Parents can make a student's first day easier by doing their best in eliminating any potential confusion a student may have. Prior to the first day, parents can drive by the school and accompany their child around campus. Parents can help their child memorize the campus by going to all the buildings listed in the class schedule. Education.com suggests scheduling meetings with teachers to help the child feel at ease once the school year starts. Lastly, parents should show confidence on their child's first day of school; showing confidence to a child will be reciprocated by the child.
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Teachers: Expectations
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Teachers place just as much, if not more, importance on the first day of school. Students can judge their teachers as early as the first day; a wrong impression can lead to problems in class management down the line. TeacherVision suggests that teachers should position themselves as adults who respect young people. Be organized yet dynamic with student interaction. Show an immediate interest to learn the name of each student. It's not necessary to be overly casual, but keeping rules, subject matter and the overall class simple will go a long way in successfully communicating with students.
Students and Teachers: Openness
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Some consider students and teachers on "opposing" sides of the school population; one might view the other as a potential challenge towards success in school. Students might try to be too skeptical of the teacher in his teaching method. The teacher, on the other hand, might try to exert too much authority on students from the start to keep the classroom under his control. TeacherVision suggests being optimistic and positive in setting out expectations between the teacher and students; step-by-step open communication is vital to setting a good classroom pace for the entire year.
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