Yay! The first day of school went very well! Here's a quick run-down of the positives and things that need to be worked on:
Positives
1. The school-wide signal to capture the students' attention works (3-2-1 hand raised--eyes and ears on the speaker).
2. The classroom television and light switch is fixed.
3. My students are respectful and genuinely want to do well.
4. The hallways are quiet and transitioning is easy.
5. No referrals to administration.
6. Everyone attempted today's classwork assignment.
Things to be worked on
1. Seating arrangement--there seems to be pockets of chatty students in each of my classes. I will (re) assign seating by the end of the week, either alphabetically or randomly.
2. Size of classes. I have approx. 25 students in my inclusion homeroom and little to no paraprofessional help. Within two weeks, this number should drop as students will be pulled out for the district remedial program.
3. Lack of a working computer. I'd love to start using the SMA.RT Board in my classroom, however I need a connected computer in order to do so.
Overall, I'm satisfied with how the day transpired. If anyone has tips on how to alleviate student chattiness (6th grade), please feel free to leave a comment :).
