The first day at school is as important for the teacher as it is for the children. Even an experienced teacher is not sure as to how the day will work out.
There are anxious children and even more anxious parents, all trying to catch her eye and attention. That is why it is very important for you to be in control of the situation.
Your attitude and behavior can defuse the first-day tension to a great extent. First, you must introduce yourself.
If you are an experienced teacher you must tell the children the number of years you have worked.
The children will feel confident about your abilities as a teacher. Tell them that you look forward to working with them during the year.
Share a few experiences. Lighten the atmosphere by sharing a few anecdotes with the class.
Do not start with the curriculum immediately. Spend the first few hours getting to know your students. Ask them to introduce themselves one by one.
There may be students who are new. Make them feel comfortable by asking about their previous school, likes and dislikes.
Do not scold a child on the first day. It can upset the children and make the upcoming term difficult.
The first impression is very important as it stays throughout the term. Once all the students are well acquainted with each other they will do well socially and academically.
Liven up the introductory session by allowing them to introduce each other as participants in a game.
You can use games like Scavenger Hunt or Naming Game to break the ice. They are a lot of fun and assure complete participation.
The aim of the Name Game is to remember your classmates name and the nickname given to him.
The nicknames should not be derogatory in nature. Chances are that these nicknames will stay for life. Scavenger Hunt is played to discover each other’s interests and hobbies.
The next step is to make the students feel that you care. You can follow some ice breaking activities to make them feel secure and comfortable under your supervision.
A partner introduction is another activity that works well. In this students are divided into pairs and each has to introduce his partner to the class.
It’s a great way to help students make friends immediately. They get to know their partners and can team up for the rest of the term.
This can be followed by a group discussion. Groups of four to five can be formed, with each student sharing his summer holiday experiences. Keep the activities light and fun. You can even ask the students to speak about their families.
The most important thing is that you must encourage everyone to share their opinions and viewpoints.
Make sure that no one is left out, and each one gets a fair chance. You can also chip in by narrating a few incidents of your life.
This will make the students feel that you are one of them. The strong bonding that will result will last through the term.
