Feature Stories
Ready, Set, GO! Back-to-School Tips
By Faye Scannell, M.Ed.
Washington Public Schools
Bellevue, Washington
As your enthusiasm builds in anticipation of a new school year, guarantee its success by being prepared. Capture the interest and attention of students from the first moment they walk in your door by preplanning and being organized. Keep in mind that the impression you make on the first day is extremely important because it sets the tone for the semester or year. Don't forget to be positive, enthusiastic, and cheerful! Model expectations and keep to a consistent routine. Students love predictability.
Prior to the first day of school:
- Arrange the room
a. Place furniture that accommodates easy foot traffic around the room. Consider flow between work areas and supplies. If space is tight and the class size is large, group tables together to create open areas for better movement.
b. Even if space is not an issue, students benefit from collaboration and working in small groups. Because most art classes are composed of heterogeneous students, sitting in groups helps break down barriers and nurtures a sense of community. As students get to know their peers, they provide support, advice, and assistance.
c. When seating arrangements become nonproductive, ask students to choose another place which empowers them to make a better choice. Middle-school students benefit from regularly scheduled seating changes to cope with bouncy personalities.
- Sort, label, and organize materials, tools, and equipment to provide easy access and store materials in predictable locations.
- Post daily and weekly schedules. Take attendance at the start of class. When older students arrive, they can automatically get out materials and begin work unless a presentation, discussion, or critique is planned. Always provide important information as soon as possible in class so students have uninterrupted work time.
- Expect students' processing time to vary. Post a "What to do if you finish your work early" list and customize it to your goals and objectives. Such a list might include: helping others, reading through related resources, completing independent work or worksheets, choosing a clean-up task, or preparing materials.
- Develop a system to quickly learn student names.
a. For the first two weeks of the class, assign seats in alphabetical order so you can quickly take attendance and recall names. Place a folder or name card where students are to sit before they arrive.
b. Get to know your students. Have each fill out a 3 x 5-inch card that includes some basic information—birth date, special talents, future goals and what they expect of the class, pets, favorite artists, favorite books, etc. These cards are fun to read and can be used in group mixers such as "People Bingo."
- Prepare "Safety" and "Permission to display student work" forms for students and parents to sign. This saves time later if work is published on the school's Web site or shared via other public venues.
- Mix it up. Vary lessons to include individual, paired, small group, and whole group work. Group work helps students expand ideas.
- Preplan units but allow for flexibility to adapt to the uniqueness of each class.
- Most of all, remember that students are sitting through "many" introductions on the first day of school. Get them moving and engaged in a name game, mixer, or art activity as soon as you can.