First Six Weeks of School Second Edition; 2015; by Paul Denton and Roxann Kriete

What were the key points of your assigned readings? List any questions
These can be listed in bulleted format under each chapter. or discussion
topics you would
like discussed in
class.
Introduction-Using this Book- Key Terms When it comes to
• Briefly define and identify 1 application idea that you have for your RED 414 Clinical. these application
ideas, are we free to
During my RED 414 clinical, I really want to develop a strong classroom community because I feel it is the try what we want or
strongest way to foster the students’ learning. I will do this by creating a warm, safe, and inclusive do we have to follow
climate for the students. I will also teach classroom routines and behavior expectations. The students exactly what the
need to understand what they are expected to do and how they are to behave in the classroom. Along teacher does? I’m
with this, I will help the students get to know the classroom, and establish expectations for their guessing that we can
academic work. arrange something
after we talk with the
cooperating teacher.

First Day of School I feel like I see a lot of

Goals and Overview for All Grades classrooms that are
• People will never forget how you made them feel completely set up
Setting up the Classroom before the first day of
school and this really
• Have the classroom tidy with open wall space and shelves (more welcoming to students)
made me want to take
• Designate seats and arrange desks in small groups with “table names”
a different approach
o First activity can be decorating name tags
when I start putting
• Have a circle area where everyone can see one another easily
together my
o Have a stand or whiteboard accessible
classroom.
• Keep supplies out of reach or marked off limits until student need to use them
 • Keep most wall space and boards blank but give them bold titles and attractive frames (We will
build our classroom displays together)

Getting to Know Your Students After reading about

• Check in with last year’s teachers the first day of school
• Review student records in grades K-6, it seems
• Talk to other school personnel like they all have a
• Review developmental characteristics of the ages you teach similar schedule that
Communicating with Parents they follow.
• Communicate with parents toward the end of the summer
o Send letter introducing yourself
• Informal open house before the first day
• Call or email parents
• Create website with news about what’s happening in the classroom along with contact
information

Briefly, what does the 1st day of school “look like” for:

• Kindergarten, First, & Second Grade

The students will be nervous, but the main focus is making sure that they have a smooth transition from
summer to school and feel welcomed, safe, and excited about learning.
Beginning of the First Day
You’ll greet the children and give them something to do that will help calm their nerves such as
decorating name tags. You’ll then signal for quiet attention. Most teachers use a calming chime as the
signal. You want to teach the students how to stop, get quiet, and look at you when you give the signal.
This is followed by morning meeting, and you will explain that every morning you will gather as a class to
begin the day together. (Greeting, Sharing, Group Activity, Morning Message). Today morning meeting
will be relatively short. Touring the school before recess and lunch will help the students feel more at
home. You can stop at different locations in the school and use Interactive Modeling to teach the
routines for these areas. Then the students will have a morning snack- a regular snack time helps fuel
students for learning and allows them to take a break. You will also model and practice snack time
routines today.

Middle of the First Day

The students will then have recess, and it’s important to teach basic expectations and routines to make it
go smoothly. Today, you might stay with the students to help make sure it’s fun and inclusive. After
recess the students will head to lunch, and you should assign seats for lunch today so the students aren’t
worried about who they will sit by. After recess and lunch, quiet time can help students reset and have a
smoother transition to the afternoon activities. Give them just two or three choices and talk about
expectations.
Ending the First Day
You will introduce the expectations for taking care of the classroom. The class will meet again in a circle
to end the day. Invite the students to share what they enjoyed about the school day. You will then ensure
that the students get on the correct bus.

You will have to introduce and guide students to explore materials, as well as also introduce a few simple
academic routines that they will build on. Today, make sure to choose learning activities that enable all
students to participate fully. We want to build excitement for learning and reinforce students’ efforts on
the first day of school to set the tone for the rest of the year. We also want to teach discipline right from
the start, and we can do this by using teacher language to create a positive tone. We can also set up
routines for positive discipline and use redirecting language with our students to fix misbehavior.

• Third & Fourth Grade

Beginning the First Day:

Starting the day, you want to be at the door to greet your students; create a welcoming and caring tone
first thing. A good initial task for the students is to have them make name tags, you can also have them
wear them today and for the rest of the week. After everyone is settled in, teach the students how to
respond to a hand signal for quite attention. To help bring the class together from the start, have a
morning meeting that is simple and no more than 15-20 minutes. (Combined greeting and sharing, group
activity, and morning message). You should then tour the school with your students even if most of them
are familiar with it. You should go over basic routines at this time.

Middle of the First Day:

When it comes to recess, you should provide some structure and join your students to help it go more
smoothly. You should also assign table groups for lunch today to relieve students from worrying who they
will sit by. After recess and lunch, there should be a quiet time to let kids unwind and prepare for the
afternoon’s learning. Give the students two simple choices of things to do during quiet time today and
tell them that they are expected to do it for the whole 15 minutes.
Ending the First Day:
You should plan a little extra time at the end of the day to get ready for dismissal. This will give the
students a little extra time to make sure they know what they are doing after school and where they are
going. A great way to end the day is by having a closing circle because it helps the students end the first
day on a positive note.

A primary goal for today is to teach your students how to work together in the classroom and be
successful as individuals and as a group. You can use Interactive Modeling to introduce supplies intended
to be used, and let them practice using them. Make sure to focus only on the most essential and
straightforward routines today because the students will be excited and anxious. It is important to use
teacher language to create a positive tone in the classroom; using reinforcing and reminding language
can be very beneficial. It is very important that we are redirecting misbehavior right away in order to
create a safe, caring learning environment.

• Fifth & Sixth Grade

Beginning of the First Day:

Today, start off by inviting the students to personalize pre-made name tags or create their own. Next,
they can complete a brief personal survey which you can use during morning meeting to help them learn
more about each other. You will follow this by signaling for quiet attention. It’s important to introduce
this routine early in the day and explain why it’s important. Morning meeting with fifth and sixth graders
can help them settle into the classroom, learn each other’s names, and start to develop a positive sense
of community. (Greeting, sharing and group activity, and morning message). This morning meeting will
help the older students stay invested and get the most from these daily gatherings.

Middle of the First Day:

Today at recess, it would be a good idea to play a whole-class game to make sure everyone feels included
and comfortable. After recess the students will have lunch, and you should consider assigning seats for
them to take that pressure off of them. You should also make sure that the students are eating their
food. After lunch there will be quite time for 10-15 minutes. Students could read silently or finish a puzzle
for example.
Ending the First Day:
Leave about 20-30 minutes of the day to get ready for dismissal. You should check in with your students
to make sure they know where they are going after school. After this is settled, it is time for cleanup.
Take about 5 minutes to clean the room before the closing circle. When introducing closing circle today,
emphasize the importance of joining together at the end of the day to make connections,
accomplishments, and reflect on learning. Invite the students to look back over their day and think of one
thing they enjoyed, and then have them share these ideas around the circle.

Don’t assume that just because the students are older that they know how to use materials. Instead you
should use Interactive Modeling to show them how to use and care for the materials. You should also use
Interactive Modeling to teach academic routines such as partner chats, reading routines, and writing
routines. It’s is nice to use envisioning language with your students today to get them excited about the
year ahead. One the first day you can help your students get to know each other by having them work on
a small project that allows them to share their interests and favorites. Just like the other grades, it is
easier to just focus on a few classroom routines that are essential for the students’ success today.

Week One Are the week goals

What are the Week 1 Goals? going to be a bit
We want every student to: behind for
• Experience a collaborative and inclusive learning environment in which they can successfully do inspiring Kindergarten? I would
academic work. think that they would
 • Make personal connections by working with a variety of classmates and learning and practicing each progress a bit slower
other’s names. than older grades..?
• Practice essential academic routines (silent reading, daily routines, transition, lunch, recess, bathroom…)
• Explore some key academic supplies (books, math manipulatives, writing supplies)
• Generate learning goals (“hopes and dreams” for the year)
• Brainstorm a list of possible classroom rules---in Grades 3 and 4

Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.

1. During the first week of my RED 414 Clinical I will set a positive tone for learning by displaying student
work. I will make it a goal to display at least two pieces of work from each student by the end of the week.
2. A second idea for the first week is asking the students on the third or fourth day “Why do we come to
school?” I will list their ideas and help stretch their thinking if they give general ideas. The next day, I can
ask the students to reflect on their list of reasons, and then help them think about what they want to learn
this year- some specific learning goals. We can then make another list that consists of their hopes and
dreams for the school year. As an example, I should share some of my own hopes and dreams for the class.
Again, I will list their ideas and coach them in rethinking if their ideas seem unrealistic.
Week Two What if students don’t
What are the Week 2 Goals? seem to be building
We want every student to: any connections with
• Continue to build connections with all classmates and feel part of a positive learning community classmates during this
• Have opportunities to practice and polish routines introduced in week one and learn additional time? What should we
key routines do?
• Experience more academic choices and work on multi-day assignments of projects
• Gain more confidence in speaking and strengthen listening skills, working with partners and as
part of the whole group
• Work together to finish learning goals for the year

Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.

1. In week two, an idea could be utilizing a sign-in chart as an arrival task for the students. I read
about how young students benefit from having concrete tasks to accomplish first thing every
morning, especially if the class trickles into the room throughout arrival time. With the sign-in
 chart, the children can practice writing their names, with proper capitalization, on a dry-erase
board.
2. In week two, I could also apply what I learned about ending the day. An idea that interested me
was giving the students afternoon jobs at the end of the day. I could designate students to do a
variety of chores such as: stacking chairs, picking up the floor, clean around the sink, picking up
books, etc. I could then rotate the jobs each week so that all students have a turn doing each job.
Week Three What are some ways
What are the Week 3 Goals? you think could build
We want every student to: a positive tone in the
• Continue to build stamina in all content areas and take steps toward greater independence during classroom?
academic lessons as well as recess and lunch.
• Continue to practice routines so that they can become automatic and enable engaging learning to
happen all day, every day.
• Experience the rules coming to life in the classroom. Students create their classroom rules and
start to see how they come into play throughout the day.
• Learn about logical consequences and start to take responsibility for their mistakes as they
strengthen positive behavior skills.
Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.
1. In week three, I could apply the idea of introducing logical consequences to the students. When reading
about it in the text, I felt like it would be a great way to let the students know that the rules are to be
followed. The three types of logical consequences will help stop the misbehavior that is happening in a way
that the students will see the connection between their behavior and its effect. I could start the discussion
by reading a book and then giving examples to help the students understand. “If someone knocks the
books off the shelf, they will have to clean them up”, or “If someone is having a hard time sharing the
blocks, they might have to color instead.”
2. A second idea that I could apply this week could be continuing to set a positive tone by displaying photos
of students at work. I had never thought of this before reading the text, but the idea makes sense. I could
take pictures of the students while they are using materials to solve math problems, while they are silent
reading, and while they are engaged in any other schoolwork. Taking these pictures and posting them
around the room will help them to see themselves as learners, and these visions will strengthen when they
actually see themselves doing the work.
Weeks Four to Six If the goals aren’t
What are the Week 4 Goals? being met by the end
We want every student to be: of the first six weeks,
• An active member of the learning community-The classroom hums with productive activity; we just continue to
students are enjoying recess and lunch; and they’re doing their best to be kind and respectful to work on them after?
everyone.
I really liked the idea
• Fully engaged academically. Student’s stamina and capacity for working independently and
of doing a whole-class
collaboratively is growing; they’re taking on more complex work; they’re continually being
project, but I couldn’t
appropriately challenged, both individually and as a class; and their success. Big and small, is
think of any good
reinforced. ones off the top of my
• More self-sufficient. Like a true team, the class is trying hard to follow daily routines; the rules head? Do you know of
continue to serve as the ancho for discipline; and students genuinely encourage and support one any that would be
another. engaging and fun for
the students?
Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.
1. The first idea I could apply during these weeks goes with teaching discipline. I feel that discipline
has a huge part in classroom management, so I really want to make sure that I refer back to the
rules taught in the previous weeks. I liked the idea of positive time-out, and I will apply it during
these weeks of my clinical. In week three, we will have talked about using time-out to regain
control, and these weeks I want to model and practice with my students. I will start by introducing
where it will be, why we will do it, and I’ll have the students come up with ways to calm down.
Then I will model so the children know how the process will work. Lastly, I will let them practice,
so they are fully aware of what will happen.
2. A second idea that I could apply during weeks 4 to 6 could be a whole-class project. By doing this,
I could integrate different standards into the project so that the students would be strengthening
a variety of academic skills. An example of a whole-class project could be creating a kindergarten
timeline, or acting out and performing a favorite classroom storybook. I think that the students
would find a lot of excitement in whole-class projects, so I want to make it a point to do one in
weeks 4 to 6 of my clinical.
Appendix A-D Have you used any
Choose 1 idea from EACH of these Appendices and briefly describe how you might use it. energizers with
Appendix A: Key Responsive Classroom Practices Discussed in This Book---Energizers students in the past
I enjoyed reading about the use of energizers in the classroom, and I will for sure be utilizing them during my 6 that you recommend?
weeks of student teaching. Being that I am in a Kindergarten classroom, I could use energizers during a lesson Any that you really
because they won’t be able to focus their attention for very long. I could use an energizer as a mental break, so like?
that the students will be refreshed and ready to continue their learning. If I notice that I am losing my students’
attention, I will step in with an energizer.

Appendix B: Engaging Activities, Songs, and Chants---Just Like Me

I enjoyed reading about all the activities in this section, but I really liked “Just Like Me”. This is a category name
game, and I thought I could use it in the beginning of the year to help students make connections with one
another. I’ve said before that I want a strong classroom community, and I feel that this activity will help the
students be more comfortable with each other while getting to know one another. I could use this activity on one
of the first days of school to learn more about each other. I could start the activity by saying “I like to ride bike”,
and then everyone who also likes to bike stands up and says “Just like me” and then sits back down. We could
continue to do this until everyone has had a chance to name a category. A goal in this game would be to have
some bigger categories where many of the students would stand, but then also some smaller categories where
only a couple students stand. This would help different students connect with one another because they like the
same things.

Appendix C: 10 Sources for Read-Aloud Books---National Education Association(NEA) Teachers’ Top 100 Books for
Children
I went to this website and I thought it would be useful to use in my future teaching. It lists Teachers’ top 100 books
for children, and I could use the website when picking out books to have in my classroom. I could make sure that I
have several of those books available to my students, and then I read one of them several times with my class, so
they become very familiar with it. It could be like a “class storybook”. This source makes it quick and easy to pick
quality literature for my students.

Appendix D: Planning for Special Situations---Guest (Substitute) Teacher

I was so glad that this topic was addressed in the text because I’m guaranteed to come across it when I start my
teaching career. I will be sure to have plans in place for the substitute teacher so things go as smoothly as possible.
The last thing that I want is for my students to be stressed out, out of control, or confused. I will be sure to utilize
the term “guest teacher” instead of substitute to let my students know that he or she has authority and is to be
respected just as they would respect me. I hope to have a folder ready at all times in case I need to be gone for
some reason. In the folder I plan to have daily procedures, the schedules, lesson plans, etc. so that the guest
teacher has all the information that he or she needs. I will have the guest teacher stick to key routines that my
students are familiar with and do well with. Lastly, I will provide plans for him or her as well as giving a copy to a
colleague. I like the idea of having a colleague introduce the guest teacher because my students will be familiar
with them and feel more comfortable welcoming in a guest teacher.