First grade teachers....I need help!

[JoyG]

I just got finished reading all the replies. Thanks everybody. Great support and great tips.

Today was 120% better. I actually got to do a small bit of real work with the kids in between all the routines.

No one left crying...(not the kids, and not me!)

Dismissal was still hairy...but I did know where everyone was going and when.

A teacher friend gave me a CD of classical music to play in the background today while the kids were working and she also gave me some lavender scented air freshener. She said the lavender and the music creates a soothing environment for the kids...I don't know if it worked on them, but I think it worked on me and that's half the battle!

 

[lillygator]

Definitely agree!! They loose a lot over the summer, It seems to take until 3rd grade to finally get it down

I'm wondering where lillygators DD goes to school. I want to teach there

I can understand going over classroom rules and the lining up, how to do it etc...but if they were at the same school for K, wouldn't they have already been taught that? My girls have been in "school" prior to K since they were babies so they do this type of thing daily starting around age 2/3. I guess we just have had school type rules all their lives from being in daycare!! And truthfully the daycare is more like a school, they treat the day like a classroom from Aug-May and then have a more laid back schedule in the summer...these kids definitely know more than I did starting school!

What they did at the end of K was all the teachers got together and discussed which students were best suited to which first grade teacher and their teaching habits....guess they felt mine was to be tested often and full of homework!! They were structured from day one and quite frankly I thought holy cow this is a ton of work for first grade, where is the playtime?? (the class schedules an hour for math, an hour for writing etc...) But DD loves it, and so far so good, two chapters of math down and another spelling test tomorrow.

Good luck op! And thanks so much for being a teacher!! My schedule doesn't allow me to be as involved with the teacher as I would like but the first day I went as well as meet the teacher and wow, the things you guys deal with!!! Have a great year!