Now, I know there are creative alternatives out there. I don’t want to stand up in front of my students and talk AT them the entire day. The reflection challenges students to be introspective as they think about their strengths and weaknesses, ability to work with others, approach to school/work, and more! This is awesome! My students were having fun looking around the room trying to figure out my likes, where I’m from, and perhaps some of my hobbies. ALEXANDER WHARTON has taught in primary and secondary contexts and is currently an English Teacher in Sydney’s North West at William Clarke College, Kellyville. I’ve been obsessed with learning stations for a few years now (and I’ve blogged all about their benefits, how I create them, and how I facilitate them), but I’ve never used them at the very beginning of the year. This engaging activity forces my students to get moving, collaborating, and critically thinking on the first day of school, plus it breaks the ice and helps them get to know me! I used your idea for “Investigate the Teacher” on the 1st day of school. When I asked him about the class he had few good things to say and felt like the classes were a waste of his time. I love your Back to School ideas. I can’t thank you enough for this post! Sample 111x Syllabus on Place. Just out of curiosity, for your first few days of school, did your admin modify your daily schedule? Instruct them to write their name and three fun facts about themselves on the card. Instead of sitting around listening to me drone on for the 3rd year in a row, they exercised their brain and pushed to remember past knowledge. I would rather take some time to learn the 150 new names and faces in my classes because I know that “real learning” can’t happen until I begin to build relationships. These are great activities!! Reviewing the syllabus on the first day of school is so common that it’s even earned the first week of classes the name “Syllabus Week” at the collegiate level, and high school is no exception. I definitely want to try out the “Investigate the Teacher” activity. How long do some of these activities take? In the past, I used to bore my students with a “Get to Know Miss G” slideshow, but a few years ago, I came up with a much more engaging, student-centered, and kinesthetic activity to replace it! Required fields are marked *. As a parent I start to have anxiety about getting my children ready and set for the school year. Page 1     Kudos to you Ms. G for putting students first. You may also see essay writing examples. Have students also draw a map of their place and surroundings, labelling it. If you’re reading this post and feeling guilty because you have done the boring syllabus stuff on the first day, rest assured that I have done the same, too. This has inspired me to shake it up and start the year right! This is great! Even though it’s now nearing the end of the year for me, I have a goal for next school year. Thank you for this great idea. (ACELT1791)   (EN2-10C). I have planned to deliberately delay the syllabus, so I don’t think that’s unorganized. Each student is to make a card of their character and what year they are. As I start planning the start of my 5th year teaching, I was facing the same old routine. worksheets, lesson plans,  activities, etc. In other words, it tricks them into a whole lot of learning! Take students to the part of your school that displays history or the story of how your school came to be. Where I’m From is a widely-used exercise based on a poem by former Kentucky poet laureate George Ella Lyon.It inspires students to think about themselves and their places. When my children get home on the first day of school I just want to receive and fill out all emergency forms, contracts, and permission slips; receive their class’ lists of supplies to get that out of the way and get my kiddos back into their routines. You can check out these syllabus brochure templates, as well as visual/info-graphic syllabus templates here! I love your brochure!!! Your title page should include a page number, article title, author name, and author affiliation. Way to Go!, Miss G. Thanks so much! Have students closely examine the front cover of My Place. Are there any clear characters evident on the cover and who might they be? The text should be read in shared, modelled and independent reading sessions. Writing an essay about a familiar place gives the writer an opportunity to present his personal experience and feelings the place invokes in him. The second slide says to download the fonts from a website. Toss the ball around the room and have students answer the question closest to their right thumb! The syllabus and support materials for the English K–10 Syllabus. I want to be excited about the first day of school, and I want my students to be, too! Picture books in a similar style or with similar themes: Nadia Wheatley has authored over 13 picture books including: Donna Rawlins has illustrated her own books and those of others including: Unit Suitable For AC: Years 3 and 4 (NSW Stage 2). Goodness, as a teacher mom. I’m gonna use yours and hope this year is gonna start great (it’ll be my first year of teaching). Before I explain what I do instead, let me briefly explain why I absolutely do not review the syllabus on the first day of school: Reviewing the syllabus is boring for both me and my students. I noticed that you can only have 3 Padlet boards on the free version. I know that I am less stressed and anxious for the beginning of the year when I am excited about the first few days. You’re so inspiring . My school is transitioning to standards-based-grading (SBG), so I had my students rate themselves and set learning goals on a 1-4 scale for each of our power standards, which we call “Essential Learnings.” You could do this with any kind of standards of skills, or you could make this into a more general academic or subject-specific goal-setting station. Using signs and symbols, have students construct a timeline of their own life, from their family’s arrival (as much as they know), to their own life today, noting any significant moments on the timeline. Take a tour now! The finished creations will double as some decor for my blank chalkboard that I will rarely use! Have students think about what stories are told in their family again and again. In my classes, I also included a station for flexible seating. WR 353 Writing About Places—Sample Course Syllabus For Cat II This course is planned to start in Ecampus, but it may also be taught on campus as well. What does the fig tree see, taste, hear, feel and smell? I already sent your Instagram page to a few Ag teachers I think this is an awesome Idea and I too am starting my 5th year in a little over a week!! Have students consider who are the people that make up their family? The first day of school is no exception! This year I created infographic syllabus brochures, and I wanted students to actually READ through them (and appreciate that I made them and folded 150 of them – HA). This is making me excited for teaching. Have students write a short story from the perspective of the fig tree in My Place. I don’t require any supplies for my class, so I am not causing any additional stress for parents. So here’s what I do instead. To do this, I have them take the 16 Personalities Test and complete a reflection activity. Good luck!! Icebreakers are essential to building relationships and creating a positive classroom culture. Mine doesn’t look nearly as good as yours, but it’s better than words on a page! It’s difficult to teach when you don’t yet know your students’ names or interests. I found this resource on Pinterest, and I am adapting it for my classes! the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: Can you please provide me the links to some of the samples to such type of writing as well as provide me with tips about such type of writing It’s a great way to introduce essential skills like observing evidence, making inferences, discussing interpretations, and summarizing conclusions. Then I let students know what the plan is for the rest of the period. . How would they be described? ... have brothers and sisters? Doing something else helps my class stand out, and the students quickly realize that we will do things differently and creatively in my classroom. The article provides information on the topics 3. Basically, article writing helps the writer develop both the writing and data gathering writing skills—which in turn develops his/her communication skills. I call it my “Investigate the Teacher” Challenge. Have students go to the library/use the internet to research about Australian History using the following questions as a guide. One way that I made my old text-heavy syllabus less boring was by transforming it into a professional, appealing tri-fold brochure. If you’re reading this post and feeling guilty because you have done the boring syllabus stuff on the first day, rest assured that I have done the same, too. Page 2. I would love to hear about them in the comments! Thank you for sharing. Since I’m elementary, I’d like to incorporate some of these ideas and simplify for the grade levels. “Relationships first, Rules second” really resonates with me, but is not how many of my colleagues go about the start of the year. You are so welcome, and I am happy to help! For example, if your course syllabus says “course syllabus” in the title, you would write it as: “HIST 101: The ancient world course syllabus.” If “course syllabus” isn’t part of the title, you would write “HIST 101: The ancient world [Course syllabus].” 5. The basic guidelines on Article writing format have been discussed earlier. About how long did it take for you to complete each day’s activities? I remember telling my students, “Sorry, we just need to get this out of the way,” before I explained everything on the syllabus. NESA is regularly updating its advice as the coronavirus outbreak unfolds. Do you have photos of your finished brochures? Students spend the entire first day of school just going through the motions like zombies, merely listening to teachers drone on about their specific policies and pet peeves. There are 20 characters in the text that are discussed (one child could each play one character). I loved all of this!!! Here are a few other ideas that I just have to mention, even though I didn’t use them this year! That means 1.5 hours for normal block days….I’m not sure I know how to teach that long! At my HS, we have a drop 7 drop 2 schedule (5 classes a day) so we usually don’t modify our schedules the first few days of school. Plus, it’s so entertaining to read through their inferences, and sometimes it feels like a bucket filler from all of their kind compliments from their first impression of me! He has delivered professional learning for teachers at local, state and national conferences on topics including explicit literacy teaching and reading. I transformed my boring syllabus into something I think a sixth grader will actually want to read. Breaking language barriers can tough and often a foreign teacher remains an ambiguous personality from another culture that students may have difficulty connecting with. Maybe on TPT? Obviously, reviewing the syllabus on day 1 and building relationships are not mutually exclusive, and this is ultimately just my preference. Following! I hope this helps you mix things up so you, too, can set the tone for your most amazing year yet! about 45 minutes per activity (that’s how long our class periods are). Thank you for sharing. He is a regular resource contributor for National Literacy and Numeracy Week as well as other learning materials for students and teachers to assist student engagement of literature in the classroom. I’ve done this for 4 years now, and I don’t ever want to do anything different on day 1 (and that says a lot, because if you know me, you know that I ALWAYS change things up from year to year). I can’t wait to try these ideas with my students this year! It’s all a part of the process. They read & responded to questions in French and collaborated on their answers. I plan on doing Investigate the Teacher on day 1. We are about to start this Thursday, and I feel like it’s too late to implement this year, but I cannot WAITTTT for next semester students. Have a great year! What do they wear? I love this. English Lessons for Kids - Videos, Printables, Games, Online Tests Of course, expectations are important, but I would much rather focus on getting to know my students and building relationships before I tell them what to do and what not to do. Thanks for the great idea. Have you done Blobs and Lines? Use the menu below to learn more about place-based pedagogy in the University Writing Program. Students need to be able to justify their thinking by information on the cover. Get our latest COVID-19 advice We believe that a place-based pedagogy addresses this outcome by making students agile and motivated learners. My question is how do you introduce and set up the activity? Do you pay for Padlet, or does your school? Write 140-190 words in an appropriate style. Then feedback these words as a wider group into a class discussion and brainstorm. In the past, I used to bore my students with a “Get to Know Miss G” slideshow, but a few years ago, I came up with a much more engaging, student-centered, and kinesthetic activity to replace it! Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. More often than not, it is lack of experience and naivete about foreign cultures. I just signed my letter of intent for my first year of teaching and I will be in a 7th grade math class. In addition, the online test provides great practice at reading, summarizing, evaluation, and reflecting. I am so excited that someone else does the same thing! Don’t agree at all, especially in high school. I changed EVERYTHING! Sample 213x Syllabus on Place Sample Syllabus on Alaska Your email address will not be published. © Copyright Agency and contributors 2020 ABN 53 001 228 799, Receive updates in your inbox every month, Basic craft supplies (scissors, glue, coloured pencils). Multiple iterations of this project are available online. As you can see, I pushed back my syllabus and expectations to Day 3. I sent syllabus & marterials info home on a hand-out. I want them to know that they will be thinking, discussing, and moving every single day, so I plan for my first day of school accordingly. Thank you so much for this post. Describing places worksheets: Writing tips 4: describing a place, step-by-step (B&W) Level: intermediate Age: 14-17 Downloads: 1591 WRITING PROCESS: DESCRIBING A PLACE Level: intermediate Age: 12-17 Downloads: 1435 Describing Places Guided writing. Have students create their own page with their ‘own place’. All I can say is you’re awesome! . I was so proud of my 8th graders. Have students create some evocative imagery using their five senses. I would be over the moon excited that a teacher made getting to know my child her 1st priority! I don’t like doing the “same old” stuff that everyone else does. The teacher can then work through the timeline, which has been recreated with the students, having the students explain who they are and what is happening in their particular decade. Check out this gallery of examples, tips, and guidelines for writing papers in APA format. I don’t know why I waited, because these stations turned out AMAZING! I’m SO using this!!!!!!! It offers suggestions and pieces of advice 4. Here’s what I planned: You can find editable print AND digital Google Slides versions of these stations here. So basically we have to write about a place, providing importance and description. Thanks, Yay – congrats and good luck this year! Reviewing the syllabus on the first day of school is so common that it’s even earned the first week of classes the name “Syllabus Week” at the collegiate level, and high school is no exception. The back cover states that “everyone is a part of History, and every place has a story as old as the earth.” Have students explain what this statement means. I gain a lot of insight into the cliques, friendships, loners, shy students and outgoing ones and just start building individual relationships on day one. I am excited to try your new brochure idea and purchased it. Students had to upload a selfie and some fun facts to, You can find editable print AND digital Google Slides versions of these stations. Do you have an editable template for your info graphic brochure? So thank you! A multi-level English curriculum featuring cartoon animated videos, engaging games, interactive tests and a progress tracker. You are describing 3rd and 4th grade activities. High school is preparation for college. This post has definitely given me a peace of mind. Some excellent ideas! If This information helps me get to know my students and connect with them much more quickly. 1. Students had to choose one word to guide the upcoming year, and I provided cute templates and coloring supplies for them to represent this word. Thanks! Students can present their findings in the form of a poster or dot point answers. Have students take time to write a one paragraph prediction based on what they can see and think the story will be about. Refer back to the timeline of the first double page spread. What might the tear at the bottom of the cover symbolise, and what does it reveal hidden underneath? One question I have about Australian history is…. I only introduce myself for five minutes. This will also enable them to draw connections with how the natural landscape has been altered over time. Based on earlier activities and their prior knowledge, what might be the significance of the title? Only then can you hope to transport them. It really is quite valuable. Place your room number and/or office number under your contact information. I love to design authentic learning experiences that creatively trick students into learning. Kendra Cherry. This shows them that intentionally creating a positive digital reputation is important. Ask the longest serving staff member to come into your class and share some stories about how ‘their place’ as a school has changed over time. During this time, I could have a full conversation with a student and genuinely forget half of what he/she said, simply because my brain is on overload mode. (I intend to add the Google part as well). I tried this activity on my first day of school… it was AWESOME!! Blob by eye color, line up by birth month, etc…Thanks for sharing! My favorite way to get to know my students is simply through interacting with them, one on one, but as a high school teacher with 150 students, it’s difficult, at least in the first few days of school. You can find all of these materials in my Flexible Seating Resource Bundle. But it doesn’t have to be this way, at least not within the four walls of YOUR classroom! Wow… Your ideas are inspiring! That’s not my style! I have some on my Instagram @writeonwithmissg . An article is written with the following objectives 1. I do this through a quick Google form so I have their responses in my spreadsheet forever (and I can’t lose that spreadsheet). Write where the course took place. I was guilty of thinking and doing this my first two years of teaching. There’s a reason I do these activities year after year: They work! I appreciated this station because it gave me informal data to inform my instruction, and it will allow students to measure the progress on their individualized goals for each focus skill. It’s textbook stuff: The teacher reads through the syllabus and attempts to review all of the expectations that the students will likely forget by the next day. It is AMAZING! Students choose one of the twenty characters that we meet in. This should be the same place where you took the class. I can’t wait to try out the Getting to Know (Teacher) activity. Thank you so much for all these great resources and ideas. Like close-ups? It might be a plaque or you might read to them from a student diary or a past yearbook. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Some stories could be read aloud and commented upon by the class. I really love this article so far and plan to explore all of your attached flyers and on tPt..thanks for putting all the work in and sharing it! Thanks for sharing! Best of luck as you start the year! Have students create some evocative imagery using their five senses. What follows is a road map to my first few days of school. These look great. Duration One term in length with two hour sessions each week. How do the title and the front cover image connect? How many of these stories are linked to place and why is this significant? I hope you do that separately so parents don’t have to go on additional shopping trips. For example, did you meet with all of your classes for shorter periods, or did you meet according to your typical schedule? Students can then share their words with the person next to them, adding words that were not on the original list from the individual. I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said! I was in a search for good first day of school activities and all of them were really standard or boring. You can check out my print and digital/distance versions of this activity. Pass out index cards to each student. You make mistakes and you find creative ways to fix them in the following years. I want my class to be different and refreshing for my students, especially on the very first day. Is it just a purely physical location, or as. The teacher could model a simple scaffold with a basic opening, body and conclusion that takes place over a single day. I call it my “Investigate the Teacher” Challenge. It made sense this year, because we started on a Thursday, so I thought Monday would be the perfect day to introduce all of this. I work with 11th graders and that is in fact a very important issue to explore. 3. Your first job as a storyteller is a simple one, and a crucial one. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}). Thank you for sharing!! I’ve taught all grade levels, so I know. I teach 7th grade. Thanks again and hope you have a great year! In pairs have students track the ideas (character, name, animal etc) in each decade via the table below. I’ve done this for 4 years now, and I don’t ever want to do anything different on day 1 (and that says a lot, because if you know me, you know that I ALWAYS change things up from year to year). I’m starting Year 7 at my school and I will definitely incorporate some of your ideas! How did you insert your bitmoji? Thanks for sharing this! What “pieces of evidence” did you use for the Investigate the Teacher activity? You can check out my print and digital/distance versions of this activity here! Students may have members of their own family who are storytellers. What about their own place, how is their story as old as the earth? I don’t see this as taking away or wasting time; I see it as an investment of time that pays off in the long run. Hi! My first day of school centers on names. Good luck with the new school year! Good luck!!! The assignment is based on the place. To me, teaching an alphabetized roster of students whose names I do not know feels impersonal. During the first few days of school, it’s incredibly important for my students to get to know me and for me to get to know all 150 of them. It’s textbook stuff: The teacher reads through the syllabus and attempts to review all of the expectations that the students will likely forget by the next day. It’s all a part of the process. What year was the bicentennial celebrated? ❤️❤️❤️. After the get-to-know-you games, syllabus, and expectations, I use Day 3 as a chance to get to know my students on a deeper level. It influences the readers and urges them to think 5. There is nothing worse than having those lists trickle in throughout the first and second weeks of school. My son started seventh grade last week and he had two teachers who did not go over the syllabus until the third day. Have students complete the following sentence starters and use this as a basis for a classroom discussion. I’ve even done this activity while teaching online, and it was a great way to build classroom community from the start. I originally contemplated during a Flipgrid video introduction for this station, but I thought students might be more hesitant to film themselves on day 1, so I opted for a simple selfie instead. But I like to think it does make a difference and send a message to the students. Relationships 1st, rules and procedures can come after. What does the fig tree see, taste, hear, feel and smell? ESL Printables, Then, collect all the cards, mix them up in a bucket or some kind of container, and pull the cards out one by one. Luckily, these activities get me PUMPED to return to school. How has the school changed over time? This station was comprised of materials such as my overview letter, expectations, and flexible seating contract. I just used my classroom; I didn’t plant any evidence. Great ideas! Read off the fun facts on the card and then ask students to guess who it is. You can choose whether to center, align right, or align left your identification information. I can’t wait to do things differently and shake it up! , Your email address will not be published. Coordinate the timeline to snake around the space just like it does in the first double page spread. Can’t wait to try them out! Kathy, I’m starting my 7th year teaching, but at a new school, and I still feel that the first week of school always looms over you, challenging you to come up with more “engaging” activities rather than the mundane, to make things simpler for such a busy week, but to also be realistic with your time and expectations. It brings out the topics or the matter of interest in the limelight 2. Instead of telling them all about myself, I make them to do the hard work of getting to know me by thoroughly investigating my room for clues about my personality, teaching style, expectations, hobbies, etc. Teachers who give the syllabus after the first day seem unorganized. I had already planned for the first 3 days until I ran across your blog. When I start my first unit, I want to be teaching individuals with dreams, quirks, fears, strengths, passions, and weaknesses, not mere names on a roster. I’ve been obsessed with learning stations for a few years now (and I’ve blo. Creative Writing Syllabus & Rubric (PDF for printing) This is the syllabus I was never given in my university course. Why work so hard planning a whole year of active learning, only to contradict it on the first day of school? I'm a high school American literature, journalism, and newspaper teacher who is dedicated to engaging and empowering my students. You can check it out HERE. What other ideas do you have for making the first day of school one to remember? We have compiled a few sample questions on Article writing so that students get familiar with the format of an article. In other words, it tricks them into a whole lot of learning! Some stories could be read aloud and commented upon by the class. Many students may also look to you as a model for what online learning and sharing can look like.

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