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Tools, Tips, & Tricks

Culturally Responsive Classrooms Start on Day One

8/18/2017

 
As a young, inexperienced teacher I remember wondering what my first day of class should look and feel like.  In my first school district, the first day was only a half-day and veteran teachers advised,   “ Oh, you only have twenty minutes so just hand out your syllabus and lay down the law.  You don’t have time to do anything else.”  I tried that method and learned that I had missed a huge opportunity to build community and get to know my students on the first day.    After learning my lesson the hard way, I started to prioritize relationships from day one. 
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Here are three of the best methods that I’ve observed or tried personally for getting to know students from the first minute of class on the first day: 

|  1  |
Greet your students at the door and welcome them into your classroom. 
​

I know Dan recommended this one too (see last week's blog post), and it's because you can’t go wrong with being a welcoming presence for your students as they enter your classroom.  Harry Wong, author of The First Day of School, writes that students biggest worry on the first day is, “Am I in the right place?”  Once they see you and you assure them they are in the right spot then they can relax and began to feel comfortable in the learning space. 

|  2 |
Ask the students what you should know about them as a learner.

 I have had great success with using a four square inventory like the one shown here :  ​​
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I share with students that I collect this information so that I can get to know them, their learning styles and their backgrounds better and that these won’t be shared with others in the class.  I also model my own responses before they answer so they have some time to reflect.  

|  3 |
Give students an opportunity to get to know each other.

From day one I want my students to know that our classroom is built on mutual respect and valuing each other’s perspectives.  An easy and non-threatening way to begin the conversation with one another is the M&M game.  
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This post brought to you by Heather Willman, POSA of Secondary Curriculum, Instructional Coaching, and Staff Development

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  • Tools, Tips, & Tricks
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  • K-12 RPS C&I Links
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