Teacher Preparation Checklist for the Classroom

First, purchase the things you will need for your classroom:

· Fadeless paper for bulletin boards (I keep this to two coordinating colors – you will spend a lot of time n that room and many other colors will be added due to displays etc., you do not want your room too busy. Research shows that children learn better in a classroom that is not overly stimulating with multiple colors.)

· Trim for around the bulletin boards

· Posters and displays that are needed/desired for your grade level (I teach fourth grade. I need geometric shapes, graphs, etc. , you would not need these for grade K.)

· Small decals that you may write the children’s names on them for a Welcome to grade X bulletin board. Children love to see their names written out.

· Job chart

· Name tags for desks (Any or all of the above displays made be created by you or someone who is willing to assist you)

· Depending on your district, you may need school supplies, staplers, masking tape, clear tape, tacks for wall displays, pens, pencils, dry erase markers, chalk, folders for student portfolios, etc.

· Dry Erase boards. This is totally optional but I find them to be one of the most valuable tools in my classroom: Go to home depot or Lowes and have them cut up wall board meant for a bathtub surround. Ask them to cut them into sizes easily handled by students. They use these for dry erase boards. To me they are indispensible for quick assessment. If you tell them at home depot or Lowes that you are a teacher, they will usually cut these for you for free. I purchased three class sets for less than $21.00.

Take a bit of time to sit in your classroom. Imagine how you are going to form your groups for whatever grade you are teaching. You may wish to think of reading groups, math support groups, read aloud areas, calendar areas. Where will you keep your chart stand? How would you like your desks grouped. Think of transitions for the students. How do you wish for them to work together in collaborative groups? One of the most effective things I did for myself in my first year teaching was to group my students in sets of four. Until I set things up in the following manner, I knew that I was not effective in transitioning my students well.

Imagine that you have 24 students. Set the desks up in groups of four. When the students arrive and you have given your opening introduction, tell them they are in groups. Tell them that each of their groups has a number. Assign each group a number. Have them practice standing when you call their groups number. You will be surprised how effectively they do these steps. Now tell the students that they are also in rows. You may also give these a number or at times, since I teach about the Native Americans, I give each row a clan name. Tell students that they need to listen carefully as to whether you ask them to respond to your verbal cues in rows or in groups. Tell the Bear Clan to stand up. Tell the Turtle Clan to Stand up, etc. Now review groups as well. Mix it up a bit until they have this down pat. Now that they are effective with those steps, take it one step further and assign each group a letter. As you can see below, I have placed my students in groups of four and given each an assignment of a letter. They are either an A, a B, a C or a D. Each desk in the front left corner is an A. Right across is the B and so on. Ask all of the letter A’s to stand up. Ask all the letter B’s to stand up, Ask all the letter C’s to stand up. Ask all the letter D’s to stand up. Now mix it up with rows, groups and individual letters. Now you may ask two students to work together in pairs throughout the school year with ease by simply saying A’s and C’s will work together and B’s and D’s will work together. Would all the letter C’s please come up and get the supplies? I need for row 6 to line up at the door. Group 4, are you on task? This system is really quite effective.

A,B A,B A,B

C, D C,D C,D

A,B A,B A,B

C,D C,D C,D

In explaining the above, I hope that I have given you some thought as to how you wish to set up your desks.

For wall displays, I think about my first days of school. In fourth grade we need to learn how to create an effective graph. I create a grid to do this in a fun way and important to the children. We create a birthday graph. I give each child a cupcake cutout. They write their name and their birthday month and day on the cupcake and they decorate it a bit. We then talk a bit about graphs and the elements that are needed. I have a title card ready and we call it Student Birthdays, I have a key card ready with Months of the Year and some numbers. We then create our wall display of the children’s names and birthdays. This is now a tool for me to keep track of birthdays as well as I like to do something small for each child on their birthday. We also celebrate un-birthdays for the children who have summer birthdays.

Think about movement in your classroom and how students may get to the following locations with minimal distractions.

Think about how you want your children to sign out or take a pass to use the restrooms.

Where will you keep your attendance information? If your students are old enough, will they help with this task?

Where will students sign up for lunch?

Where will you keep your materials for your daily lessons? (I like to have a set up for each day of the week with folders for each lesson)

Where will you keep your teacher manuals, lesson plan books, etc.?

Where will you keep textbooks if they do not fit in their desks?

Where will you keep games, items for free time if it is applicable to your grade level?

Where will you set up a hands-on science center?

What area will you mainly teach from?

Where will your computers be?

Where will your other technology equipment be such as Smartboards, Elmo’s, etc.?

Where will your carpet area be if you have one?

Where will your teacher chair/rocking chair be?

Where will you post your rules? I have my students help me create the rules. I feel it helps them to take ownership of the rules. This works for every grade level. I also use the phrase give me ten. This is a spinoff of give me five. By making it give me ten, the students must hold up both hands. Thus, they really do have to put their pencils down or other gadgets that so many children find to entertain themselves with. I am truly amazed at the creative tools for distraction that children find: Shavings from pencils, tissues created into some of the most unique designs, carving pearl erasers with their scissors, mechanical pencil sharpeners that are really toys – What were their parents thinking when they purchased toys for a classroom?

Do you have a space where students can go to work quietly, besides their desks?

Do you have a list of supplies for parents to purchase for their students?

Do you have labels made up for students’ workbooks, lockers and other items?

Where will you place your mailboxes?

Where and how will students sharpen their pencils? My students may use the sharpeners in the morning and at the end of the day. Other than that I require that they keep a small non-toy mechanical pencil sharpener in their desks.

Where will you keep extra student supplies, tissues, paper towels, etc.?

Where will you place file cabinets?

Where will you keep your daily procedure chart?

Where will you keep a calendar so that all may view the date?

Where will you display subject content matter?

Where will you keep your student portfolios? (I keep several hanging file holder that is used as an insert in a file cabinet. That way I have easy access to the files. My students are also old enough to file some of their own work)

Where will students place notes from home?

Where will students place their homework? (I have my students keep their homework in their folders until the time that I teach the subject. For example, when I teach math, I have students pull out their math homework. We go over it together. If there are any questions, I address them at that time. If they do not bring their homework, they must take their agendas out of their desks and write a note to their parents why they did not have their homework. This takes this task from me and places it on the shoulder of the student where it should be. This also enables communication with the parents. I sign agendas at the end of the day and may quickly jot any additional notes or concerns. I also keep anecdotal records and can record in my book quickly any notes in the agendas of concern. This is also the way that parents communicate with me. I staple notes in the agendas also such as changes in schedules.

Now you need to think of what you are going to do with your students those first days of school. I have already mentioned the birthday chart. I also give the teacher test that you may read about in my blog about first days of school.

Have items on the students’ desks as they arrive in the morning. Have a procedure chart ready so they know what to do. I have student portfolio folders for students to color and design with several sheets of paper in the folders. One of the folders will be kept in the desk for students that is entitled, unfinished work folder. They really only use this the first few days, as I have them keep their work by subject in the remaining school days. By doing so I can address their supplies later in the day when all are settled and I have mastered control of the class. I have a pencil on their desks, markers or crayons,

1. Place all of your belongings in your lockers.

2. Find your name tag on your desk and have a seat

3. Begin working following the directions on the front board

On the board have written – with examples

· Color your birthday cupcake – I have an example taped next to this instruction with my birthday month and day

· Design your folders in a manner that tells me something about you – I have an example of a folder designed with some things that I like to do such as computers, as I enjoy being on the computer, a pool, as I like to swim etc.

· Complete the all about me form – I have a cute questionnaire for kids to tell me a little about themselves

I have all of my materials copied for the first week. This will be an extremely busy time. You will want to feel prepared.

Most importantly of all, enjoy the children!