First Days of Meridian Park Tips and Management

A couple "to do" on the first day of school includes getting a good nights sleep, don't forget to send a "welcome" letter home the first day (first positive interaction with parents), and to remember that students are getting the feel for you and may be tentative at first so be approachable and practice routines again and again. Also there has to be a good balance of social getting-to-know-you activities with class work as students are just getting back from break.

The tentativeness may only last a week or so though, then the testing starts: the students testing your boundaries. Neither my master teacher nor the teacher she co-teaching with have a classroom management plan. Though some years they say after a few weeks they will use one. The idea is that if they stay consistent in expectations with each individual and a class with engaging and caring lessons a more structured discipline isn't needed. They try to be proactive not reactive and keep general class rules minimal so the need for discipline is less. They remind themselves and their students they are not their friend but their teacher. And if it is needed they will make a more structured discipline plan on an individual basis if needed.

They feel this plan is more realistic and can work with the changing communities of the classroom and build a stronger sense of community and teamwork within the classroom as well as respect, not just to the teacher but between students.

It seems a fine line of friend vs teacher to walk in order to gain respect and the idea that the teacher's opinion matters so I can or cannot do this... I'm interested to see it put in place, in action and what happens if it doesn't work with some students.