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3 Important Ideas for The First Week of School: Set Up Expectations and Procedures

Last Updated 17 September 2023 /By Zineb DJOUB

The holiday is almost over, and we are gearing up for the school year. A new school year means new things to experiment with in the classroom, new challenges, and more learning on the go. Yet, the first week remains the most decisive period where first impressions are set, and decisions and attitudes are shaped. So, what to do during this week to prepare the ground for more learning to take place, minimizing students’ disruption, false expectations, or confusion in class? There are 3 important ideas to consider. So, let’s start with your expectations and procedures.

1. Set up expectations and procedures

This is the first thing to undertake once you meet your students. The process entails clarifying the Dos and Don’ts and your ways to do things more properly. This is so crucial because it will save you a lot of time and energy in managing your classrooms during the entire school year.

But, what expectations and procedures to set up and how to introduce them to students during the first week?

Expectations

Whatever grade or subject you teach, there are always certain rules for students to follow to help create a supportive learning environment. Indeed, these rules or expectations are meant to establish norms or what is known as the code of conduct. They cover the Dos which put more emphasis on students’ respect for their teacher, peers, and deadlines, and the Don’ts which include forbidden actions, devices, and words (You can add pictures or drawings to this graph to illustrate these Dos and Don’ts).

So, think about what your Dos and Don’ts are and write them down. If you are new to teaching or the school, discuss them with the school administrator before introducing them to your students to avoid any kind of mismatch with the general school policy.

Procedures

A question most teachers address is what procedures to follow from the beginning of the year to manage effectively their classrooms and thus support students’ learning. Whether you are a novice or an expert teacher, certain procedures are critical and need to be part of the classroom culture. Those procedures constitute routines that serve to create a healthy learning atmosphere where students learn and progress.

Here is your guide to starting next year’s school with procedures that will make a significant change in your classroom management: Classroom Procedures that matter.

Introducing expectations and procedures 

Introducing those expectations and procedures to your students involves clarifying the what, the why, and the how.

• You can use visual aids, such as pictures and videos, to clarify what classroom expectations and procedures are. For instance, use flashcards (check out Classroom Procedures that Matter) and explain what instructions they convey. Use videos about discipline problems and show how these can contribute to distracting both teachers’ and students’ attention and impeding learning.

 

• You need to clarify why you are using these expectations and procedures to help students understand their utility to their learning. Also, talk about how you reward students who support them and how you react to those who do not. Use a simple language for this purpose. If you are a language teacher, use the first language of your students.

 

• Explain how these expectations and procedures function and listen to your students’ questions and concerns. It is also necessary to invite them to contribute to building up this system by asking them to make drawings that represent the expectations and design flashcards for the procedures. Show your interest and enthusiasm in using your classroom procedures and invite your students’ parents to value them and provide the incentive for their proper use.

 

The first week of school is the right time to set up expectations and procedures and introduce them to your students. It is also advisable to listen to students’ ideas and suggestions. You can learn from them and refine the process.