Opening Days: #totallyrossome Heads Back to School

Image credit: http://www.bellyitchblog.com/2013/08/13-back-to-school-comics-to-make-you.html

This week at #totallyrossome, we're looking at the most important time of the school year - the opening days. You get one chance to make a first impression, and the opening days of the school year are your chance to set your tone.

When I started teaching, Mrs. Jenkins, who may or may not have had stories about little Walter Disney was like as a tyke, told me I was not to smile before Christmas. "They need to know that you're in charge." I'm not so good with the not smiling, but I learned quickly that what was not set early in the year would become battles later in the year.

Just a few thoughts and resources on the beginning of the school year:

• Jose Vilson's Cheat Sheet for the First Days of School
• Doug Robertson devotes some time to setting the tone for your class in his book He's the Weird Teacher (Link is to Amazon's book page, and I received nothing for my endorsement of the book.)
• Planning for Your First Day at School by Linda Starr (Heads up: Education World is FULL of ads.)
• Pinterest has numerous Back to School Activities from numerous users (This link is from WeAreTeachers.)

How do you get the year started? What do you always do? What have you found you will never do again?

Join us Tuesday, August 5 at 10 PM EST as we get totally into the beginning of the school year.