The first day of school from the teacher’s perspective

The first day of secondary school, often a challenging and nerve-racking experience for students, can also be challenging for teachers.

From building a rapport with students to setting the correct tone for the classroom, the first day of secondary school is crucial for teachers, education professor Tom Frost, said.

“Teaching to me is a relationship with students. It’s instruction, but it’s based on a personal relationship,” Frost, also the Associate Chair of Secondary Education, explained. “To foster success as a teacher with a new group of students, whether you’re a veteran teacher or a new teacher, that’s job number one.”

While teachers of different subjects are taught to address the first day of school in varying ways, they are given strategies to help them get to know students, Frost said. Strategies include memorizing class lists ahead of time, using yearbooks to put faces to names, constructing seating plans, and using name tags.

One method Frost used while teaching in the school system, and continues to use as a university professor, is to meet students at the door every day. This allows for short personal interactions with students as they enter the classroom, which helps him set a positive tone for the class, he said. Frost encourages other teachers to do the same, but especially on the first day of school.

When it comes to creating the right classroom environment, Frost emphasizes showing students that the class is focused on their learning.

“You want to have a very active first class,” he said. “You want to get right to the subject matter to set the tone that this course, my class, is about learning.”

From deciding what order units will be covered in to arranging classroom furniture so that it’s conducive to learning, teachers should put a lot of preparation into planning the first day of class and the rest of the school year, Frost said. He also said new teachers should familiarize themselves with their school’s parking spaces, sports teams, and dress code.

Similarly, Frost advises new students to become familiar with the campus for a successful first day of university.

“Find out where the buildings are, find out where the rooms are,” Frost said. “Especially if you’re a student who feels a lot of anxiety, you can relieve a lot of that.”

Showing up to the first class is extremely important in university and secondary school, Frost said. He added that students may think nothing essential will happen on that first day, but if a professor is using proper techniques, then skipping the class will disrupt learning.

Even if a student is nervous for their first day, their professor might be as well.

“To this day, and I’m getting near the end of my career, I feel a little anxious about the first class meeting with a new group of students,” Frost said. “I feel excited, I feel nervous.”