Summer is rapidly coming to a close, it is time for all teachers to prepare for having kids in class. This can be especially stressful if there is no plan ready for the kids when they come back to school. For teachers, this can be a very hectic time, as it can be really difficult to reign the kids in after they have had a fun summer. However, in this article, we are going to talk about different things that you can do in the first week of school to help this transition go smoother.
All About Me Bag
An all about me bag is a paper bag where each kid brings 3 items in their bag that describes who they are as a person. These bags can be given to the children on a back-to-school night, so there is plenty of time for them to prepare, but not too much time that they forget about them. Each day, at the beginning of class, there will be an opportunity for you to introduce each child and allow you to get to know them better, and for the classmates to get to know them better.
Word Searches and Scrambled Words
Sometimes it can be difficult to reign the children in after a fun summer. If you have activities that the children think that are fun, but also makes them think, that is a win-win. These word searches are not only fun for the children, but they also are a great way to help them improve upon their spelling skills. Another option would be to get a back to school survival kit. In this kit, there are plenty of word searches, and other worksheets that will be sure to keep the kids entertained, as well as making sure that the children are learning while at school.
MINGO Game
MINGO, much like the game of BINGO, the children are responsible for finding their classmates who have certain characteristics or experiences. As they find these classmates, the children will then sign their name if it is true. This is a fun way to encourage mingling and for the children to build friendships and bonds with their classmates. This also allows for you as the teacher to get to know the kids on a deeper level, as you get to learn fun facts about them that you may not have had the chance to.
Conclusion
As teachers, the first week of school can be very difficult. The kids may not have had the greatest routine during the summer which will make them a little rowdier in the first week. This can be such a struggle for teachers as they want to set the tone for the rest of the school year. We want to help you teachers by making sure that you have a game plan for the first week of school as we understand how difficult it can be. The next time you are struggling with knowing how to handle the kids during the first week of school. Remember to utilize these activities that will be sure to help you as well as your students.
