by Catherine M. Bohn-Gettler
College of Saint Benedict-Saint John's University
Sept. 18, 2014

Question:

What is your advice for getting the school year off to a good start?

Response from Catherine M. Bohn-Gettler:

The beginning of the school year is an exciting time filled with meeting students, reconnecting with colleagues and former students, and starting important academic work.  However, the first few days of school involve more than just fun icebreakers and syllabi creation. They are crucial for having a successful school year in terms of academic performance, developing thinking skills, establishing a positive social environment, and enacting a positive classroom management plan (Flaxman, 2000; Israel, 2001; Kronowitz, 2003; Novelli & Shafer, 1999; Wong & Wong, 2009).  Seasoned teachers know a lot of work goes into getting the year started off well!  

In my research studying effective teaching practices, I followed the progress of many teachers and students throughout the school year, especially teachers who foster high academic engagement and motivation (e.g., Bohn, Roehrig, & Pressley, 2004).  From this work, I learned that the principles of effective teaching apply throughout the entire year, but are amplified at the beginning of the year. Below are several suggestions to help you start off the year on the right foot.

Establish Meaningful Rules, Routines, and Procedures

Effective and motivating teachers spend a significant amount of time at the beginning of the year explaining rules and routines. Teachers model and ask students to practice carrying out procedures so students know how to behave. More than that, it is important to elaborate on why such procedures are important for the learning, social, and physical environment of the classroom.  At mid-year, this translates to improved achievement, a more orderly classroom, and prevented discipline issues (Bohn et al., 2004; Emmer, Evertson, & Anderson, 1980; Evertson & Emmer, 1982; Leinhardt, Weidman, & Hammond, 1987; Pressley, Dolezal, et al., 2003).

Promote a Positive Environment

Excellent classrooms have a consistent and salient positive environment in which students feel safe to learn and do not receive threats (Morrow, Tracey, Woo, & Pressley, 1999; Pressley, Roehrig, et al., 2003).  To accomplish this, effective teachers use a variety of techniques at the beginning of the year. This includes emphasizing respect and community values, helping students feel important by learning their names, listening carefully to students’ thoughts and concerns, and responding compassionately to help students feel at ease (Bohn et al., 2004; Day, Woodside-Jiron, & Johnston, 1999).

Enthusiastically Introduce Content and Offer Engaging Activities

Highly effective teachers describe their classrooms, and the academic content, as exciting and meaningful for students’ lives (Day et al., 1999; Pressley, Roehrig, et al., 2003).  They offer engaging activities and vary instruction between individual, small group, and whole group tasks.  Starting the year with engaging activities, and modeling how you will be an active teacher, will help set the tone for the class (Bohn et al., 2004).

Communicate High Expectations and Praise Specific Accomplishments

Research consistently shows that students live up, or down, to the expectations teachers set for them (Hinnant, O'Brien, & Ghazarian, 2009; Jussim & Harber, 2005; Rubie-Davies, 2008). Start off the year by communicating high expectations, but go beyond generally telling them they can succeed. Instead, tell students why they can succeed, emphasizing their efforts when they face challenging tasks (Bohn et al., 2004; Dweck, 1999).  In addition, praise students by “catching students being good” (Brophy, 1981), and provide specific praise so students understand exactly what they are doing well.

Encourage Self-Regulation

Effective teachers emphasize that students be self-regulated in daily routines as well as in academics. They allocate time to explain and practice routines, emphasize students’ responsibilities in carrying out routines, encourage students to do things on their own and without reminders, and encourage students to use learning strategies independently. Such self-regulation pays strong dividends later in the school year (Bohn et al., 2004; Day et al., 1999). 

Emphasize a Democratic Environment

Finally, effective teachers create a democratic environment in which students have choice and ownership in the classroom. For example, allowing students to play a role in setting up rules, giving students choices in their work, and allowing students to have a say in the classroom environment promotes self-regulation and a positive environment (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

Of course, this list is not exhaustive: A number of other resources provide suggestions for how to start the year off well, including National Education Association, Scholastic, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the New Jersey Education Association. The reference list below also contains a variety of resources.  Best wishes for a wonderful school year!

Catherine M. Bohn-Gettler, PhD, is an associate professor of Educational Psychology at the College of Saint Benedict-Saint John's University. Her research focuses on the cognitive and social/emotional processes that underlie comprehension and effective teaching strategies for improving comprehension.

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