Recently, I had a dream that some of my past students were running an elaborate mall-based crime cartel, and I was a sort-of Miss Marple figure trying to stop them.
In other words, I had my first back-to-school dream of the year.
I’m sure you’ve also had weird dreams inspired by back-to-school anxieties.
Since back-to-school butterflies are familiar to every teacher, I wanted to share 7 tips for a smooth first day of school.
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Before You Get to School
Preparing for a smooth first day begins the night before.
First, pick a outfit for the first day. I always want to look professional, but the first day often comes with unexpected experiences, so I have to choose something that strikes a balance between comfortable and professional. Similarly, pick an outfit with pockets. I promise: having pockets will help you have a smooth first day. You also want comfortable shoes. If you’re anything like me, over the summer you’ve lost your “teaching feet” and will need a few days to get back the ability to stand for hours. The right outfit is key to a smooth first day.
Second, get some groceries ahead of time. You will want to pack a good lunch, eat a good breakfast, and bring lots of snacks. Even if you normally eat lunch in the cafeteria, I suggest brown bagging it at the start of the school year. Students have to remember how the cafeteria line works, and that can quickly “eat” up your full lunch period. Similarly, breakfast and snacks are invaluable because during the summer you probably got to eat anytime you wanted. Eating well keeps you fueled for a smooth first day.
Third, and this is the hardest advice for me to follow, try to get some sleep the night before school starts. You will have your best first day if you are well rested. That may mean that you need to plan an extra thirty minutes before bed to put yourself to sleep. You may need to stop caffeine earlier in the day or some other nighttime routine that will help you get back to your school sleep schedule. Being well rested is essential for a smooth first day.
The Parts of a Smooth First Day
In high school, the first day of school is often about the syllabus. I’ve written a lot about syllabus day before, so you can check out some of my favorite recommendations for a smooth first day:
- Syllabus Design Tips
- 3 Tips to Make Sure Syllabus Day Doesn’t Suck
- How to Design Your Own Syllabus Scavenger Hunt
However you choose to structure your first class, make sure you have everything copied and ready to go before the first day of school. No copy machine is more likely to jam than the one being asked to make copies of the syllabus twenty minutes before your first class.
In addition to the syllabus, have 2-3 activities planned and ready to go. You probably won’t need all of them, but pacing the first day of school is weird. Students never talk as much as you expect, sometimes the bell system is ahead / behind, sometimes the wifi is laggy, and sometimes the lunch line runs long. The first day of school is simultaneously dress rehearsal and opening night, so you want to prepare accordingly. Preparation is the theme of a smooth first day.
As a result, it’s a good idea to have some back-up plans ready to go. Here are some of my favorite back-to-school activities. Pick a few to keep on hand in case you need to add time. Any that you don’t use on the first day can be saved for later in the first week:
Weird Advice for a Smooth First Day
The first day of school is unique and special but can also be awkward. There’s a lot of small talk on the first day, both with faculty and students. As a result, it’s helpful to have a few summer anecdotes ready to go. Maybe you went on vacation or took a class? Did you read a good book or finish a long-term project? Maybe your spouse or your kids achieved a major milestone? Choose a few anecdotes that you can easily tell: something pithy but not too personal, cute but not over-the-top, honest but professional.
Finally, Two Truths and a Lie is a classic back-to-school ice breaker. Even if you don’t play this game with your students, you may be asked to play in a PD session or other back-to-school event. For these situations, I have a few truths and lies ready to go. I always want to make sure I’m sharing something I’m comfortable sharing. Planning these truths and lies ahead of time keeps me from blurting out something embarrassing. I’ll share my go-to list, and you can tell me which one you think is the lie:
- I love to read, but I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction.
- I taught elementary school before moving to high school.
- My doctoral research relates to college sports even though I didn’t play any college sports.
