What to do on the first day of school?

The hardest part of any journey is the first step. The same is true with implementing any new technique or strategy in your classroom. Change is hard. The unknown can be scary. But there's no reward for those risks not taken. So... if you are thinking of using WBT in your classroom next year...make the decision to JUST DO IT! :) The community of Whole Brain Teachers around the world is the most supportive and helpful group of people that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. There are hundreds of resources available at your fingertips, and many people available to answer your questions (and hold your hand if needed) along the way.

When I decided to start using WBT techniques in my classroom, it wasn't a hard decision. After watching hours of YouTube videos and downloading as many free eBooks from the website as I could...I knew I had to start using the strategies right away. It wasn't a choice. It was a calling. I know that now. But, to be truly transparent, you need to know that I embrace change. I love trying new things, and am constantly modifying what I do in my classroom. I've never taught the same lesson in the same way twice. Change is relatively easy for me. For many, that's not the case. Whether you embrace change, or run screaming from it, my hope is that this post will help you feel more prepared and confident to walk in to your first day of school.

And I've recently learned that some schools start the new school year in July! That's crazy. But that's off topic. :)

Back to our original question...What should you do on your first day? This post is written for those that teach class periods or blocks or different students throughout the day. If that's you...keep reading. And, even if you have one group of kids all day, you may find some helpful tips below. Please leave a comment after you're finished reading, I love the feedback!

Greet your students in the hall. (5 minutes)
This may sound strange, but doing this immediately let's your students know that there's something a little different about your classroom. Have them line up outside your door.

When the bell rings, start by saying, "Please look at me." It sounds funny, but what will happen is you will get a few more kids looking at you who weren't previously, and it sets the tone that you are in control of the environment.

Next, you are going to welcome them and quickly introduce yourself.. Say something like, "I'm so excited to meet all of you today. I'm Mrs. Meador, and I'll be your science teacher for the year."

Finally, you are going to teach them the class yes. You can say, "We will be doing a lot of moving and talking in class this year, and I need to be able to get your attention very quickly. To do that, we use something called the 'class yes'. When I say class, you say yes. Class! (a few of your students will say yes). Good. Now however I say class, that's how you say yes. If I say "Class Class!" then you say...(a few of your students will say "Yes Yes!'" You can try a couple varieties of class yes, and praise your students for their attention.

Now your students are ready to enter your room. Give them directions as to how they are to find their seats. I prefer to have a seating chart posted on my SMART board, and ask that students use that to find their assigned seat. While they are doing this, I take careful observations of who are the leaders, the followers, the clowns, the shy ones, and the clueless.  Yup, I said clueless. You know you've got some. We love them anyway. :)

Learn everyone's name. (10 minutes)
The best, most extraordinary way that I've found to learn students' names is called The Name Game. It's very simple. Tell the kids that you need their help to learn everyone's name. As you point to a kid, they tell you their name. Point to a kid, "Johnny". Point to a kid, "Sue". Point to a kid, "James". Then you repeat the names, in order, two or three times, while you point to them. (Johnny, Sue, James, Johnny, Sue. James." Then the whole class says the names together. "Johnny, Sue James."

Now you go on to the next three kids. Point to them, one at a time, and they each say their names. Then, go back to Johnny, and say all of the kids' names in order two or three times. Then the class says all of the names in order with you.

Repeat this until you've gotten through the whole class. Don't forget to call a Class Yes if they start having too much fun and losing control. Reign them back in with the Class Yes.

Now, here's the magic: If you forget a name, ask the class 'Who is this?" And then say, "You got it, great job!" Even if you know the kid's name, you can still use this trick. The point here is not to just learn the names yourself, but to engage your students into learning each other's names as well. Don't be afraid to make a mistake - this is your chance to show your kids that you are human, and that you know how to laugh! There should be a lot of laughing and fun in the game. And it really does work! I learn 120+ students' names on day 1. The next day I silently play the game again to myself while they are working on something. I repeat that every day for a few days, and usually within the week I know all kids names. Even when they change clothes. Even in the hallway. Oh yeah.

 Slowly introduce the Teach OK. (5 minutes)
Getting buy in on this is absolutely critical. So a slow entrance works best. First, you want to sprinkle in moments, right from the start of class, where you have the kids say things to each other. For example, when you are giving directions for the Name Game (above), you could say something like, "I need your help to learn everybody's names. I want to have all of your names memorized in the next ten minutes. Tell your neighbor, "She can't do it!" Well, let's see if I can!"

Do this several times, where you ask each kid to "Tell your neighbor..." Tell them exactly what you want them to say. You want to get them used to the fact that they won't be allowed to sit there and blend in. No one is under an invisibility cloak. This is a talking class, and everybody gets to talk. You're giving them the exact phrase to repeat so there's no fear of having to come up with something. You also want to have them say funny things to each other, which shows them that it's ok to laugh and have fun!

After you've had them tell their neighbor a few specific things, now it's time for them to "Tell your neighbor everything I just said." This next scaffolded step towards the teach ok gets them used to using their own words to repeat something you've said.  A great example is to list out everything they need to bring to class. You might say, "For this class, you will need to bring your green folder, green notebook, agenda, and pencil. Green folder, green notebook, agenda, and pencil." As you list these things out, use your "big counters". Hold four finger up with your left hand, then swing your right hand around in a big way to land on each finger of your left hand. When you say green folder you swing your right hand around to the first finger on your left hand. When you say green notebook you swing your right hand around to the second finger on your left hand, etc. Then say, "Now tell your neighbor, using your big counters, everything I just said."

Using the big counters is a great way to get kids using gestures, which is the next step.

Introduce Mirror Words. (10 minutes)
Explain to the kids that when you say "Mirror Words", they say, "Mirror Words" and raise their hands ready to mirror your gestures. Then whatever you do and say, they do and say. More on how to keep upper grade kids engaged with Mirror Words (and get their buy in). For now, you are just introducing it. You can do a silly mirror check, wave your arms around crazily, get them laughing as they follow you. It's important to practice using mirrors here, and with limited time in upper grades, the best practice is with something you need to tell them on that first day (like we did with the supplies in step 3). For me, I go right to the rules. I have them mirror me as I teach them all five rules.
Rule 1: Follow directions quickly (swim your right hand through the air like a fish swimming forward)
Rule 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak) raise your right hand, then make a talking motion with your hand)
Rule 3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat, aaahhhh (raise your right hand, then walk your two fingers through the air, then throw your right arm back into the air for the "aaahhh")
Rule 4: Make smart choices (use your right pointer finger to tap your temple three times)
Rule 5: Keep your dear teacher happy (make a picture frame underath your face with both hands and smile!)
After I have shown them and had them mirror each rule, I'll ask them to TURN and tell their neighbor each of the rules over and over. Notice the continued scaffolding towards the teach okay. Earlier they said something to their neighbor, then they explained something to their neighbor, now I'm asking them to TURN and tell their neighbor OVER and OVER.

Teach the full Teach Okay. (10 minutes)
Now you're ready to show them the entire Teach Okay. Tell them that all class period long you've been asking them to talk with their partner, and that in this class they will be talking more than you. In this class, they will get to talk almost the entire class period most days. That will get their attention.

Explain that you when you clap twice and say, "Teach!" they will clap twice and say "Okay". Have them practice this a few times.

Next explain that after they say Okay, they will do a full turn to their partner, shoulders facing shoulders. Have them practice this a few times. Get their attention back with a class yes. Now have them tell their partners that your Grandma moves faster than them. What was rule 1 again? Have them tell you with the gesture. And have them practice the teach Okay with full turn a few more times, faster.

Finally, show them that after their full turn, their arms should be up ready to gesture. Have them just practice the teach, okay, full turn, arms up routine a few times. Praise those groups loudly that are doing great. Say things like, "This side is doing great, I'm not so sure about that side over there." but be very vague about which side you're talking about. Be mysterious, it keeps them on their toes.

Now you're ready to use the teach Okay. Here's where I fit in all of the other stuff that I'm "supposed" to do on the first day. All of the administrative stuff that I am supposed to do can be given in short segments, using mirror words to highlight the key ideas, and followed up by a teach okay. Before the first time, you'll need to say, "Now when I clap twice and say teach, you clap twice and say ok...then you're going to do a full turn, make big exciting gestures, and TEACH your neighbor over and over what I just said. Imagine that you are now the teacher, and you have to explain it to your partner. Keep explaining xyz (insert a reminder of whatever it is you just talk them), over and over, until I call you back with a class yes.

DONE! IN 40 minutes, you've taught the class yes, mirror words, 5 rules, and teach okay.

Disclaimer: It is YOUR classroom. Nothing in this post is meant to be absolute. It is example of what you can get done in an upper grade classroom in a 40 minute class period on day 1. Every school and classroom is unique, so it's up to you to tweak these examples to fit your needs. If you have any trouble figuring out how to do that, please leave a comment; I'd love to help!

Next up...Day 2: the Scoreboard, complete sentence answers, and Brainies! Coming soon...

First Day

So...I literally have chills. I will admit, I was slightly hesitant to actually put some of these strategies in place. More than once I asked myself, will this REALLY work in middle school? Will 6th graders REALLY buy into this? And of course, the self doubt crept into my head too, and I wondered if I could actually implement these strategies in the proper way after only a few webcasts and ebooks.

But let me start at the beginning.

The kids started on Wednesday with a half day devoted to PBIS and the expectations of our school. They went through station rotations to learn about the matrix, were acknowledged using our PRIDE Points, and used those points to choose different games to play during an all school assembly. The kids had a blast, and it was a really fun day.

Thursday was our first full day. I used that day (in each of my 42 minute class periods) to introduce myself to the kids, collect supplies, and do other housekeeping things that need to be done on the first day. That day went SO fast. I was really exhausted by the time the last bell rang. After 5 months off from summer vacation and maternity leave, it was a shock to my system to be back at work!

Friday was the first day I really got to do anything with my classes, so I used today to teach the Class-Yes and the Scoreboard. That's when I got chills! After the class got done with their first journal, I had them share one thing that they wrote with their table group, then I called their attention back to me. Here's  basically how it went...

Me: You've probably noticed that you get a lot of opportunities to talk with your group. You will do a lot of group work in here this year. Sometimes when you are working I will need to get your attention really quickly to give you more directions, answer some questions, or just to tell you how awesome you are.
Class: laughter, eye rolling, etc
Me: How many of you have ever been annoyed because you had to wait for a couple of kids to quiet down  so that the teacher could give directions?
Class: Raised hands, more head nodding, more eye rolling - remember this IS middle school! 
Me:  Well I don't want you to be annoyed, or have to wait on other kids. I like to move fast! In order to get your attention snap that fast, so that I can tell you something fast and get you back to work, we're going to do something called the class-yes. Anyone ever heard of  it? It's really tricky. It's going to take you a while to learn how to do it. When I say class  you say long expectant pause yes! Let's practice. Class...
Class: Reluctantly Yes.
Me: Good! But you know there's always a catch, right? Well the catch here, is that however I say class is how you have to say yes. So if I say in a super deep voice Class... then you say...
Class: In a super deep voice followed by lots of giggles Yes!
Me: Great! And if I say Classity class...then you say...
Class: Yessity Yes!
Me: Exactly right! So let's practice. I want you to tell the people in your table group one fun thing that you did this summer, and be listening for me to say "Class". Go ahead and share. Wait a minute or so, then say  in a silly sing-songy voice Class...
Class: In a silly sing-songy voice Yes!
Me: You guys are so awesome!

I used this technique several more times during the remainder of the class period, and it worked every time. I would say that 99% of my kids bought into it right from the start. they were smiling, laughing, and ON TASK!  Usually on the first day you are battling against three months of summer vacation; the kids have forgotten what it means to listen to directions, to sit in their seats, to focus on an activity, etc. I am so excited to have a new strategy in my "bag of tricks" to help grab students' attention while being positive and FUN.

During this lesson I also introduced the scoreboard, which I will talk more about later!

The First Hour

I am apologizing in advance...this is a LONG post, but I had a lot to say after watching a webcast from Coach B!

"Education reform, education revolution, comes from passionate hearts who have learned how to share a vision," is a quote from Coach B from The First Hour that speaks right to my heart. My passion for teaching drew me to WBT, and this movement has taught me that changing the way I interact with students is the first step to improving the way my students interact with me, and with each other.

I am lucky enough to work in a middle school where discipline is usually not an issue. Most students get along, they follow directions, they do their homework. But, to me, it's still not good enough. I'm not satisfied that most kids succeed. I want all of them to feel successful and to make improvements and gains toward their full potential. That's what No Child Left Behind started as, even though it has morphed into something very different (but that's a whole different topic). The ideas set forth in Coach B's The First Hour seem like very simple ideas, but they are amazing in their complexity. These ideas seem to be just what I have been looking for, and I am so excited to put them into practice!

To begin, teaching the first lesson in the hallway is something I never would have thought to do myself, but it seems so basic. Why bring them into the class only to teach them how to enter the class? Another blogger posted about having kids complete specific tasks to find their seats when they enter the room on the first day; for example kids organizing themselves into alphabetical order or by birthday and then sitting in this order. I think this idea mixes well with Coach B's plan, and also allows you to quickly asses who are the alphas, go-alongs, fence-sitters, and challenging students.

In my building, we are in our second year of implementing PBIS (positive behavior interventions and supports), which is an entire behavioral system within itself. However, the tier 1 level of behavioral intervention involves having a solid foundation of classroom management practices already in place. For this reason I believe WBT and PBIS will marry nicely. However, I won't be able to use Coach B's five rules because they do not match our team's expectations matrix. The matrix of expectations, developed by all of the staff, shows what expected behavior looks like in all settings of the school, including my classroom, and is posted in all locations. So what I am going to do is use the WBT foundations and apply them to our matrix. For example, our first rule (Pride) means to make good choices and have a positive attitude. I have come up with a gesture for this rule, created a poster showing it, and will practice this rule for the first week of school. All of the ideas set forth in this webcast I will use to practice this rule instead of Coach B's rule #1.

The fundamental idea of "I talk, you respond" works with whatever system is already in place, and I am so excited to see how it improves what we already have. No matter what the rule or procedure is, to teach it, practice it, get buy in for it, and practice it some more is a shockingly simple way to ensure students are equipped to be successful. Scaffolding new ideas so that students get a chance to practice, practice, and practice again is how we teach subject matter, so why don't we teach rules and procedures the same way?

The game for learning student names actually made me laugh out loud, hit myself in the forehead and yell. 'DUH!". This is how I have been learning my 100+ student names for years, but I have been the one to do it, silently all by myself. I will give the kids an interest inventory or learning style survey and play this game all to myself in my head. Why didn't I include the kids? I'm in such a small school that most of the kids already know each other, but there's that word "most" again. Include the kids in the game so that we ALL learn each others' names! Simple. Brilliant. Why didn't I think of it?

All of these are so simple, why didn't i think of them; so basic in their form, so complex in their outcomes. I can't wait to start school and implement these procedures. I already have 9 years experience in my current position and 12 years total teaching experience, but I feel like I'm starting all over again, equipped with the tools to help ALL students be successful, right from the first hour.