10 Things No Teacher Should Ever Do On The First Day Of School

Assigning seats is a perfect way to make your students mad at you on the first day. If you give the kids the chance to sit with their friends, then they might just be more willing to enjoy your class. If trouble starts, then you can address the problem later in the year.

The first day of school is exciting and terrifying all at once, for both teachers and students. The burden doesn't need to be physical, too! There will be plenty of time to start assigning readings in the text book, but you don't have to send your kids home with an extra hefty hardcover on the first day. Wait until the next day to get down to brass tax and hand out those bricks of knowledge.

It's important to take the time to make sure everyone knows each other, or at least starts to get an idea of who their classmates are. The sooner everyone knows each other, the sooner open discussion will flow easily in class. However, if someone is too shy to participate, making whichever activity you choose optional or low-pressure is a great idea.

Even if it's in jest, you should never say anything negative about another staff member at your school. It gives the students permission to do the same, and you don't want to cause any problems within your work environment. It's better to make sure the students know that teachers are to be respected.

If you're handing out a detailed syllabus to your students on the first day, you may be overwhelming them with a semester's worth of quizzes and tests on a day when they're just trying to get back into the swing of things. Instead, have a general conversation about the topics you will be covering over the course of your time together, as suggested by The Owl Teacher.

While you don't want to be too much of a bad cop, it's important to find a good balance between making sure your kids know who's boss and making them feel like they are in a jail cell. This is much easier said than done, but Teach for the Heart recommends politely asking students to sit up or not talk in class without making too much of a big deal about it. Hopefully, the students will learn to respect you and remain attentive during class.

Dressing in business attire isn't mandatory for all teachers by any means, but you should consider your circumstances before choosing your wardrobe on the first day of school. You don't want to go too casual, but there is most likely also no need to pull out all the stops. The younger you are, the less amount of time you've been teaching, the older your kids are, the more you'll want to dress up.

Before you assign homework on the first day of school, ask yourself one thing: do you want your students to hate you?

While, as a teacher, you're an absolute pro at winging it, the first day is no time to put those skills to the test. You want to make sure that you have every minute of your classes planned out. You don't want your student to get the impression that you're unprepared or undisciplined.

At the beginning of the day, you're going to be a nervous wreck, and by the end of the day, you're going to be utterly exhausted. Going into the day you have to remember why you became a teacher in the first place, whatever that reason may be. Whether it's for our future generations or a passion for a certain topic, keep that reason in the front of your mind on the first day of school, as it will keep the smile on your face and the joy in your heart.

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