Back at It

“Each day is a new beginning, the chance to do with it what should be done and not to be seen as simply another day to put in time.” – Catherine Pulsifer

Today is the day. It is the first day of the 2023-2024 school year. Every school year starts the same way, filled with opportunity and hope. It can either stay that way, or it can crash and burn right in front of me. This year is different than any other school year I have had in the last 11 years. This is the first time I am starting the year off at a new school. Open house was the first time that parents had no idea who I was. It was different, but I am excited for the opportunity.

Today will start off with a mix of instruction and getting to know my students. I will do a house activity with them that will allow them to show who they are and show off what is special about them. They will do a rough draft the first day, and then prepare a final version for the bulletin board later in the week. I will start off the week with some light math, but the goal is to teach the routines for learning. While those two things are important, my main goal for the day will be to establish the rules for learning in my classroom and make sure they get home the way their parents want them to. The first day is one of the most hectic and busy. The first day will set the tone and climate of the classroom for the entire school year. My goal will be to have that first day go as smooth as possible in order for students to be ready to learn every day this year.