Year after year I greet students and families as they come to meet me and see the classroom at Open House. The first question I hear students ask their parents is, “Are my friends in this class?” This is a valid question, after all, school can be difficult! We all want friends nearby to love…
Gold 101
First Day Jitters
The first day of school can be very nerve racking. What will my classroom look like? Did I pick the right clothes? Will I know what to do? Will I have any friends? If this is what I’m thinking, I can only imagine how nervous the kids are! Here are a few tips I found…
Artifact Introduction
The start of a new school year is always such an exciting time. In our district, fourth grade marks the transition from elementary to intermediate school. Each year, I tell my fourth graders that the upcoming school year will be a new and exciting time for them—a new school, new classroom, new friends, new responsibilities,…
Name Bingo
As a student, I still remember my first day of fifth grade. I was new to school after moving that summer from the city to the suburbs. My previous school was a small school with one class at each grade level. My new school had five sections of fifth grade. Being shy, I would never…