by AFT President Sandra Feldman
September, 2002

In the spirit of new beginnings--the first of my columns and the first issue of Teaching K-8 for the new school year--I'd like to focus on the first day of school. Although many students may think of the first day as easy, routine and trivial, teachers know that the first day can set the tone for the entire year.

Off to a good start. For many beginning teachers, the only advice they hear about starting the school year is "Don't smile until Thanksgiving." Teachers with less optimism suggest, "Don't smile until June" or, simply, "Don't smile." That bad advice is not enough to get you through the first day. Fortunately, there is excellent research on the subject and, with a little extra preparation, teachers can get off to a good start on the first day.

First day research. In a useful analysis of what works on the first day of school, three researchers from the University of Texas - Carolyn Evertson, Edmund Emmer and Linda Anderson - studied a variety of different classroom management techniques at elementary and middle schools. They identified effective classroom managers and observed how these teachers ran their classrooms. The researchers found the best teachers immediately began getting to know students and established themselves right away as classroom leaders.

But for ineffective teachers, the first day of school was a different story. Teachers often sat at their desks, focused on minor administrative tasks or even left the classroom to speak with parents or other individuals. For these teachers, initial contact with students was minimal. Not surprisingly, students entered the room noisily, talked out of turn and explored the room without any restrictions or precise instructions. They interrupted the teacher frequently, asking how to use classroom equipment, what materials they needed to bring to class or how to get permission to use the bathroom or get a drink. These students acted the way students usually do when they don't know what is expected or when they think there are no expectations of them.

Does the research ring true for you? There is no one-size-fits-all plan for the first day or for teaching in general, of course, and teachers are wise to be skeptical of fads and magic solutions. But when solid research suggests a way to improve classroom management, good teachers pay attention. I believe that the research described in this column has real value for classroom teachers.

If you try any of these suggestions in your classroom this year or have tried them in the past, send an e-mail to teachertoteacher@aft.org. I look forward to hearing from you about this and other subjects throughout the year.

Sandra Feldman
President, American Federation of Teachers