The Power of Magic: The First Days of School

Proactive passion is the pixie dust that transforms your classroom into something more than a school. Aside from the smell of new crayons, new shoes, and perfectly organized desks, there is an undeniable enchantment that supervenes like no other week of school. The first week back to school is the most critical week of the entire school year. You must get it right. The best news is you have the power to capitalize on your own classroom magic. We know that these little learning machines will be adrenalized by new friends, a teacher, and a new adventure that the new school year brings. There is nothing more exciting than the first day of school.

The potential to leverage the passion lies within your four walls. You must nail it the first week of school or the remaining days of the year you will be playing catch-up. The power lies in your persona of proactive passion.

Cast a spell on your students with these simple tips and mesmerized your students with the enchantment that you have to offer. Consider these key ingredients to conjuring up your own classroom magic.

M

Make your expectations and classroom routines clear. Model how to sharpen a pencil, how to stand in line, and the roles of classroom helpers. Redirect in a positive way letting your kiddos know that you are an adult that will help them meet the expectations.

A

Admit your own failures and struggles. Connect with your kiddos relating your own personal stories of struggling to learn and how you eventually triumphed. Your kiddos want to be able to relate to you on an emotional and personal level. If they know it was okay for you to fail and try again, then they will become risk-takers of trust.

G

Greet every student every day. No matter how distracted or tired you are from the day before, no matter your own personal emotional state, you MUST greet every child by name every day. Look them in the eye and let them know that you are so happy they made it to school. The nice ones, hyper ones, naughty ones. Everyone!

I

Implement interest inventories. Whether you want to look for their multiple intelligences or examine their true color, it is critical to create opportunities for students to embrace their unique differences and reflect on themselves. Creating an environment that embraces differences because they add to the strength of the whole is vital to community building. These interest inventories are a window into their hearts that you will not otherwise capture through academics.

C

Create positive relationships. Praise and connect with every student every day. Discover what makes each child light up. What topic can they talk about for hours? Learn the individual triggers to avoid.

We owe it to the world to connect with each and every student and build a community of trust, a community of risk-takers that believe they can change the world. Once you instill this magic in the classroom they will want to learn everything you have to teach. Kids want to see MAGIC!