According to the education guru Harry Wong, how you set the stage for the new school year is critical to teaching success. This is a checklist to get every teacher—especially the new teacher– ready for the new school year. It is broken down into segments dealing with summer before, the first days of school and ongoing. In addition, it references specific pages in his book.

HARRY WONG TO-DO LIST

Summer Before
• arrange room so that lecture and grouping is possible
• learn classroom management techniques; what works for you? have these written out and ready to use
• make sure all furniture and equipment is working properly
• organize supplies according to usage & monitor availability
• have an opening-of-class procedure
• know a grading scale, policy, and system -have a record keeping system in place
• have a discipline plan accessible and procedures written down for all the students to know
• have supplies ready to go before D-Day
• have room arranged so that it’s user-friendly-turn in baskets, organized equipment, etc.
• know your classroom: prepare floor space, work area, student area, wall space, etc.
• have grading policy/make-up work ready and working
• lesson plans done for first unit (at least…maybe for first couple units)
• list the possible misconceptions for each lesson plan, and a list of open ended questions for activities
• know how to greet the class
• know school policies
• plan things for students to do upon arrival into the room (B.U.R.P.)
• read up on research based procedures
• set up system for make-up labs (buddy system, folders on wall?)
• build up own library of activity/lab books for references
• look on the internet for new ideas
• obtain the text book, begin making the outline for the year
• make seating chart
• continue to prepare the room (pg.97-99 Wong)
• find a teacher to help you and answer questions for you
• practice introducing yourself… know what you want to say
• set aside place to post daily assignments:
• clean room, set up, decorate room and door, arrange
• take part in induction process p. 17
• partner with a mentor
• “Beg, borrow, steal” p. 18
• know your district’s curriculum guide and use materials that reflect
• those objectives (understand your role) p. 22
• be involved in planning the students’ welcome to school p. 46
• get a yearbook and learn students’ and colleagues’ faces and names
• learn you students’ names and their pronunciations
• “Before you move a single desk” p. 94
• See pages 95-100 preparing
• See page 103
• post info. About yourself and your students p. 109
• See page 112
• plan seating assignments and arrangements p. 116-120
• have the desks arranged so all students’ eyes are on you
• think and then decide your rules and write them down, post them before school begins p. 143, 147
• *See page 147: introducing rules
• know the school and district rules p. 149
• post your consequences p. 152

The First Days of School
• greet students *honestly* and with energy
• begin with a seating chart to facilitate name learning- IMPORTANT
• have info (policies, outlines, etc) posted or ready to hand out
• give class the idea that you’re a person
• give them your expectations and rules- class policies
• have an activity planned to give them a feel for what’s ahead
• first day: don’t do a “fun” activity
• establish Good Control
• Know: 1. What you are doing 2. Your classroom procedures 3. Your professional responsibilities
• positive/High Expectations comes from ATTITUDE
• both for your students and yourself create a classroom climate
• celebrate the first day of school p. 46
• have your name and room # clearly visible on the classroom door
• along with your personal greeting of welcome p. 107
• dress appropriately/professionally to model success
• USE your students’ names and correct pronunciations
• practice effective classroom management – FROM THE BEGINNING
• initiate a task-oriented and predictable environment
• have your classroom ready p. 93-4
• stress large group organization and student procedures p. 94
• discuss procedures before the emergency has begun p. 97
• *See pages 105-120
• first assignment on first day = interesting, short, easy, and successful
• *See p. 109 Top and 110
• Two things important to state: your name and your expectations
• “Succeeding with your first request.” P. 114
• teach student behaviors: 1)Discipline 2)Procedures 3) Routines p. 141
• have a hard copy of your plan and follow it (Discipline plans)
• use specific rules as a new teacher (5 or less)
• introduce discipline plan on the first day of school p. 147 Post them and give a copy to each student (or have them write it down)
• See p. 152
• spend more time discussing consequences than Rules p. 153
• consequences = Reasonable & Logical p. 155
• post consequences and rewards p. 164
• communicate your Discipline Plan effectively (Tell students why the rules are needed) p. 165
• ESTABLISH PROCEDURES See pages 174-7
• show examples of your first assignment and test p. 232

The Rest of the Year
• give assignments with end result in mind (teach for learning)
• make the students do the work, not you
• give objectives in assignments
• never use grades as a punishment
• test to assess mastery, not to assign grades
• use master learning (pg. 243 I think)
• strive to be an Impact Teacher p. 6
• hone your skills in the 3 characteristics of an effective teacher p.9
• continually improve yourself: go back to college, etc. p. 14
• look for more ways to be capable
• *See pages 18, 20
• get to know your colleagues
• Listen, Listen, Listen
• research and use research-based practices
• intersperse Q’s throughout the text
• ask questions DURING a video
• go to professional meetings
• family Day p. 49
• continue to dress appropriately
• maintain a consistently INVITING stance to your students and colleagues: be intentionally inviting
• spend time with small children/ in a young classroom to feel excitement
• use the 5 significant concepts that enhance positive expectations p. 69
• use the words “please” and “thank you” in dialogue & on papers/tests
• Smile!
• Be Caring
• demonstrate you care & love both implicitly through your body language and explicitly
• through what you say p. 76
• practice a controlled, disarmed smile
• MANAGE your classroom, don’t discipline
• turn students into interested, well productive learners p. 84
• plan a variety of activities that are appropriate for learning p. 85
• have every student involved and cooperating in all these activities
• *See page 87
• establish and Maintain a Task-oriented and predictable environment p. 88
• maximize your proximity to Minimize your problems p. 98
• protect your reputation and create a positive image p. 102
• *See p. 110 Box “How to Speak to the Class”
• seating arrangements take priority over seating assignments p. 116-20
• post your assignments daily and in the same place p. 121-2
• the Bell and Teacher do not start the class, the students do p. 125
• the bell is only a signal to the teacher that the next period will start soon
• have the students get to work immediately
• have an assignment available p. 133
• students take responsibility for their own learning and work p. 124-5
• do not take role at the very beginning of class p. 127
• constantly evaluate how the teaching process can be improved
• take role quickly and quietly, not disturbing the class p. 131
• grade Record Book See pages 134-40
• deal with the behavior, not the person
• consequences p. 152-61
• discipline with your body, not your mouth p. 164
• “Praise the Deed; Encourage the Student” p. 183
• increase amount of time student is working to increase leaning and achievement p. 197
• teach the value of hard work p. 198
• manage time to maximize student time and effort
• the student, not the teacher, must be working in order for learning to take place p. 204
• make Structured and Precise directions and lessons p. 209, 214
• students UNCOVER p. 209
• steps to creating an effective assignment p. 210
• send assignments home with a weekly newsletter p. 210
• focus on goals/objectives p. 211 – Teach for accomplishment
• use effective words in assignment p. 217-9
• think of Bloom’s taxonomy
• write assignments and tests at the same time p. 230
• to teach for accomplishment, use objectives and criterion-referenced tests p. 236
• learn better techniques that will help students succeed in school and life p. 244
• structure your lessons for cooperative learning p. *258-61
• *See pages 301-3,*205 *212 *216
• how to write a test p. 233-4
• see pages 242-3, 246, 252
• Share
• be a LEADER, CHOOSE, have a CAREER, Become an EDUCATOR
• take risks p. 304
• start a 10% Risk Plan p. 306-7
• try 2-3 new ideas each year
• keep a list of good resources according to other teachers (videos, activities, books, research, etc)
• keep a list of effective procedures from personal experience and other teachers’
• try 2 or 3 new things each year
• keep a journal of everything you did! lesson plans, rules, procedures,… What works? What doesn’t?
• attend at least a few extra-curricular events
• form friendly and working relationships with co-workers
• be aware of National/local workshops to attend (go, if possible)
• find one new experience-participate in one “new” thing, educationally related, outside of school
• evaluate self (overall for the year) and make goals for next
• evaluate self at the end of each month- know where I’ve been and how I want to change
• plan lessons ahead- never leave the building without knowing what you’re doing the next day
• write tests at the same time as assignments (maybe when done teaching a unit, or a tentative test)