Like the first days of our lives, your first day as a teacher in your elementary school class makes us feel excited and anxious in similar ways. Just take a deep breath, look around your newly decorated class, double-check those lesson plans, and remind yourself that you've completed the year to make a successful start. These school-year startup tips will help you make a positive first impression. Welcome your student 1. Come early. 2. Write your name on the board so that students can learn it immediately. 3. Put a fun activity on each student's desk so that students can get busy as they try, for primary grades, dot-to-dot, matching or drawing activities. For higher grades, consider an easy writing activity or word search game. These activities are an easy, comfortable way to start the day. 4. A smile and a pleasant "Good morning!" 5. Invite students to find their desks or table as soon as they arrive. They can wait to explore the class. It helps you to create a good working environment immediately. Get to know each other 6. Do some fun ice-breaking activities to comfort everyone. For older students, consider creating a classroom dictionary. Students can write a three-part definition of themselves that includes physical characteristics, personality traits, and favorite hobbies or interests. Definitions may also include pronunciation keys for first and last names. Be sure to write a definition for yourself and then host a guessing game. For younger students, allow each child to share a story of a favorite experience or why they are excited about starting school. 7. Read a funny first-day school story or a book about being and being a good friend to create a pleasant mood and alleviate students' fears and anxieties. Establish rules and routines 8. Introduce important features of room and school with a tour or scavenger hunt. 9. Present the most important classroom routine positively, as you would a regular lesson. Allow students to practice such routines and beginners, discuss and let them know. 10. Work with students to develop classroom rules. 11. Post a general schedule for lunch, music, physical education, leisure, and classwork. Emphasize and teach routines that help students move quickly and efficiently over these periods. Remember, they will not learn all of this in a day. So, continue to emphasize and practice class routines for the first few weeks. 12. Post a daily schedule stating the educational goals for the day. Note interruptions in daily schedules such as class schedules, programs, assemblies, or guest speakers. 13. Start with simple educational activities - short reviews guaranteeing a high success rate. They will increase confidence and reduce fear. And they can serve as trial runs to practice routines, such as completing tasks or asking for help. 14. Monitoring and maintaining continuous contact with students. Avoid spending time on clerical work on the first day. And never leave the students without reading. In an emergency, get another teacher or school adult to supervise the students. Reinforce positive behavior 15. Deal with behavior problems immediately. Offer lots of positive reinforcement for students taking early routines. 16. Generate interest and enthusiasm by paying attention to exciting new topics you start later in the week. 17. Release books and discuss their care. 18. Take students on a class tour and explain what is in all the cabinets and drawers. Show them what is accessible and what is off-limits. Areas in which students will work independently, such as a listening center, should be off-limits, unless you have a chance to fully explain the purpose of that area and how students have the opportunity to use it.

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