QUESTION:

I need help with beginning of the year procedures instruction for first grade.

RESPONSE from a member of THE DWS MAILRING:

I can tell you a little about what I do with my first graders. The first day of school is all about them going home feeling GOOD about school – their new teacher, class, and school itself.  But it is crucial that I introduce many (but not all) procedures in between fun fingerplays, a simple art activity, lots of teacher read-alouds, our “dance break” (Dr. Jean CDs are my mainstay.) We also do a little bit of academic learning. (i.e. clapping our names -surprisingly, this is really interesting to them!

I only introduce procedures that I feel are necessary for that first day and build from there on following days. They have to know how I want them to do the following:

1. What to do when you need to go to the bathroom.

2. What to do when you need to get the teacher’s attention.

3. What to do when I want to get their attention.

4. How we line up.

5. How to gather on the carpet, where to sit, how to sit properly.

6. What to do when the teacher is reading a story.

7. What to do when someone else is talking.

8. The sign language symbols for “sit down.” Because we have an assembly on the first day of school, before we’ve had time to teach expected behavior, I need to teach a fast “sit down” signal.  I use the American Sign Language symbol meaning “sit” so that my kids, sitting way across the gym floor, can see it.

9. Snack procedures.

10. Lunch procedures: lunch line, sitting and eating, what to do when we leave.

11. Bathroom procedures.

12. Recess procedures: how we go down the slide, what to do with the pebbles (leave them alone,) my signal to gather the class together.

13. Getting ready to leave for home.

14. Bus/car rider procedures.

Too much for one day?  No. These are all needed on the first day, and mastery is not expected of course! I don’t tackle “arriving procedures” till the second day. On the first day, I just greet everyone, ask them to put all their things down and get everyone busy till the bell rings.  Then we gather for our first Morning Meeting. On Day Two, I greet them and begin to go over where to put everything, what to do after that, etc. There’s a lot for them to learn!

I hope this is helpful!

Andrea in NC

 

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Posted In: C. Classroom Mgt., Procedures in the Classroom
posted On: July 3, 2008: 10:44 am: By Kerry Weisner
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