There are 5 mistakes Pre-K teachers typically make in the first week of school. After years of trial and error, I now avoid doing these five things.
We preschool teachers typically do these things because it’s tradition, or it’s cute, or because Kindergarten and First Grade teachers do it (and we want to do it, too). This is all simply my opinion, and I know there are Pre-K teachers who will vehemently disagree with what I’m about to say, and that’s okay. I also know there are teachers who will find it refreshing to think, maybe I don’t have to do that school tradition any more.
As a bonus (or not), I’ve provided some terrible, very lame stick figure cartoons for your amusement (using the term amusement lightly). In other words, I couldn’t afford to hire a real artist. 🙂
1. Reading the wrong books the first week of school.
What do most early childhood teachers read the first day of school, the first week of school? It’s usually The Kissing Hand, or any book about going to school. It’s so cute, it’s so traditional to read this book the first day of school. Every teacher reads it, right?
I do not. The reason why? The book is too long for preschoolers’ very, very short attention spans (at least at the beginning of the year). I choose to read books that are short, fun, and very engaging. If there’s humor, even better. My favorite first day of school book is What Color is Your Underwear?, which is unfortunately out of print. (I would have thought my class could have single-handedly kept this book in print because I’ve bought so many copies.) The first week of school, we also read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Lady with the Alligator Purse, and the funny books by Jan Thomas.
Remember: Don’t think you have to read a book the first week of school just because it’s a book about school. Read books that are short, engaging, fun, and funny, and your first day will rock.
2. Going on a school tour.
Yes, I know what teachers who believe in school tours on the first day will say: It’s tradition! The kids love it! The kids need to tour their school so they know where everything is and who all the people are! Tours are cute because the kids find the gingerbread man/brown bear/etc. I used to do a school tour each year for those reasons. I stopped doing tours when I finally realized the only thing I succeeding in doing was making myself crazy and stressed.
Here’s the thing. Pre-K kids do not know how to walk in line or stay with the class or be quiet in the hall yet. The first day is stressful enough. Do you really want to do this?
Preschoolers don’t need to see the whole school the first day. Unlike older children, there won’t be a time when they will need to walk to the gym, library, or cafeteria by themselves. When they go anywhere in the school, they will be with you or other school personnel. They can see all of these school places and people when they need to go there the first time.
3. Teaching an apple theme the first week.
Do not teach any theme the first week — teach procedures instead! Pre-K kids don’t need to make apple prints with paint the first week, they need to learn procedures for using paint and cleaning it up. Forget the apple science experiments, instead teach them how to live in a classroom with lots of other children. My first week lessons are all about how to line up, how to sit at circle time, how to close the marker caps, how to use glue, how to use scissors, how to clean up the blocks, how to treat the books. If you spend this valuable time teaching apples instead of procedures, you will live to regret it.
4. Forgetting where they come from.
Remember that these children have only been alive for 4 years. Really think about that — only four. While some children may have come from a preschool or childcare setting, for many children, this will be their first ever experience in school.
You have to teach them everything, even the most basic things, like clicking marker caps, walking in line, staying in their seat at lunch. You will have to teach them how to use manners, show respect, keep their hands to themselves. This will be the first day that many will be in a structured environment. The first day they don’t get to watch TV whenever they choose. The first time they have to line up on the playground when the teacher calls them inside. The first time they don’t drink out of a sippy cup. The first time they hold a pair of scissors.
You will have to teach them to flush the toilet, wash their hands, and what not to do in a bathroom urinal. There’s so much for them to learn this first week of school! Remember they will not come to you knowing these things because this is their first time in school.
5. Giving them too much too soon.
For the first week of school, limit the amount of materials and toys that are available to the kids. Too many will overwhelm children. Introduce most items to the class before placing it out for them to use. For example, I do not have dry erase boards and markers available until I show the class how to use them. Stick with basic materials and limit what you have either by putting some materials away in a closet or hiding them. Many teachers don’t have the extra storage space the put some things away, and in that case, you can turn some of your shelves around facing the wall, or cover some shelves with fabric or plastic table cloths, or wrap some items like a gift to be opened later. Most preschool classrooms are the ultimate playroom because we have so much available to the kids, but at the beginning, that can be overwhelming to children who are new to a school setting.
While I know some teachers won’t agree with me (and I may have stepped on some toes), these are five things I’ve learned to avoid the first week of school. Avoiding these help me have a less stressful start to the school year.
What do you think? Agree or disagree? What school traditions do you rebel against? Hash it out in the comments below.
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I found a video of a mother duck with ducklings walking behind. I show this clip (46 seconds) on the first day and it helps them understand walking in a line.
That’s a great idea!
Karen I totally agree with you I so needed to hear all five of those……I always over plan for the first day, and you are right I am totally stressed and worn out by the end of the day!!! I love music and movement so I had been telling my self Cookie Jar Song, Hello Friends, Happy and You Know It Head Shoulders, Gummy Bear things to capture their attention a book 20 pages long will not that is why I love Mouse Goes to School by Laura Numeroff maybe 6 total pages they love it and can make connnections and they do not even realize it thank you again!!!!!
I couldn’t agree more with Karen’s 5 mistakes to avoid at the beginning of the school year. I always felt for example that The Kissing Hand, although an adorable story was way too long to read on the first day of school and even on the first week. Instead, I play I like to play game names for example using movement or sing silly songs like Rum Sum Sum. Music helps alleviate stress.
It is unfortunate that these days even in a non public school setting teachers are not always given a choice about what to do the first week or the rest of the year. Head start and state mandated programs dictate themes etc. I bend things as much as I can to keep the children’s interest and teach them effectively but with all the accountability controls put into place, it gets harder every year.
I work in Head Start and we are driven by creative curriculum which is not theme based nor are our entire lessons mandated. We have standards we need to live up to for quality but we practice everything written in this article. I even bookmarked it for future staff to review.
Head Start Performance Standards mandate using a research-based curriculum to fidelity. There are no mandated themes.
Is that If You Take a Mouse to School? Or another book by Laura Numeroff? Thanks!
I love that video, and yes I do not do all the” traditional stuff” anymore either. I have learned my lesson after teaching pre-k for the last 35yrs.. Less is MORE!
Jackie
I’d love to buy this video. Do you know where I can purchase this of the ducks following their mother?
I just googled, and a bajillion videos popped up (okay, it was 14,500, but you get my drift…
Where can u purchase the duck video? Again thanks
It’s free on YouTube
I found this one which I think would work really well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS9GLbCd5wc
I love that idea! So cute!
Thank you Leanne! Children are visual learners and that would be a 100 times better than me trying to explain it!
And thanks to Karen for the frat tips . I agree and will pass it on!
I will be showing this video on Monday! Thank you for sharing! Still learning after 39 years!
Wow! Thank u. Love the idea!!!
I agree with all of it. In the beginning we want to engage them so they will want to listen and interact with us.
I agree with your points-I have been guilty of the tour and truth be told they didn’t remember any of the places visited and I was stressed. So….no more tour guide services! And The Kissing Hand is too long for Day 1❤️
Procedures is one thing my entire team teaches and we truly do a great job with this we don’t open stations until the children have seen demos and can prove proficiency.
Thanks for reminding us that we don’t have to get it ALL done that first week!
We are on he SAME page-again! 🙂
I took a co-workers suggestion of reading the Kissing hand (12 years into teaching PreK) and it was a disaster! Too long is an understatement. It’s not appropriate for ELL, first day of school, developments abilities…. I like to read it much later in the year-Valentine’s day. Of spring when we are talking about transitions to Kindergarten.
As for your- been ther,e sone that, not doing it ever again. They do not need to know-yet. LOL We have a second floor that I simply tell them is for the “big kids” in our school and if you go up there now you must be with an adult as there ar a lot of steep stairs and we want you to be safe….OR One day you will be those big kids and go upstairs all of the time! LOL it works and school tours are no more a start-up activity.
Happy New Year PreK/Preschool Teachers!
Cool idea, I think I will try this with my class.
what a great idea to show how to walk in a line
That is such a good odei!!! I will show a video clip as well.
Im sooo going to do that!
Great idea could you share the link to the video
Hi Karen I love all of these suggestions. You are great. Oh! I also love the idea of showing the students the duck video. Wish I had one.
super idea!
Soooo TRUE. I would have DIED my first year if my assistant didn’t tell me what I “should” be doing…college classes do not teach these practical things!!
Assistants are wonderful aren’t they!!
39 years in, I totally agree. Even with so much experience I feel like a new teacher every beginning of each new year! Does anyone else feel the same way?
Yes because you gave different kids every year and you don’t know what to expect. This is my 26th year!
That is a great one!
Can you post a link?
That’s an awesome idea
That is a great idea! Thanks for the suggestion! We need to model, model, model!
I’m doing it: Ducks walking in line, genius!!!!
Amazing idea… Thank you for sharing!
Lovely idea! Thank you sharing, ma’am. 👍🏾
Where can I find this video?
Karen, these are all perfect reminders. I’ll be sharing these with my pre-k friends!
Thanks!
i wholeheartedly agree!!! Live, learn and do what’s best for the kids!
First book…I Want My Mom. Funny and they get to yell they want their mom, too.
Who is the author of the book you read – “I Want my Mom”?
Tony Ross. =)
I read llama misses mama,david goes to school and wimberly worried .wimberly worried was too long ,so I chopped it as I read stressing on the part I needed to stress on
Is that “Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell??
Love that book. I let the children call out, “I want my mommy!” with Bill.
Is it on YouTube?
AGREE 100%!!! Especially the part about limiting the number of toys that are set out! So many Early Childhood teachers do not understand that less is MORE!
I agree with you. And it is what I plan on doing as well. Great advice…esp for 1st year teachers…..take it day by day…..baby steps.
Everything you said is everything I do the first week if not longer…it is all about rules, routine and procedures…Thank you for sharing and backing what I think a lot of teachers do. 🙂
Thank you, Karen. You are sooooo on point! I have a very small preschool of six 3 and 4 year old children. I am retired from teaching in a public school. I made every one of these mistakes for many years. I agree with all of your suggestions. Having several volunteers on board for the first three days was helpful when I taught larger classes.
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically AGREE with this advice!!! I taught state-funded Pre-k in a daycare setting for 7 years and was encouraged by the director to do this/that the first week of school (as well as the whole school year). She expected certain things and the parents expected certain things. I have talked with several other teachers in similar programs and they felt the same. Walk down any school hallway and you’ll find dozens of the same craft or art project. You go to any teacher supply store and apples are plastered everywhere in the middle of July. I think it’s important to really take a look at the class and the individual needs of the children before they walk in the door. Remember what worked in previous years and what didn’t and why. Don’t be afraid to be the salmon swimming upstream. Teachers should be confident in their decisions and your curriculum. They should know AND PRACTICE what is developmentally appropriate. Additionally, I love your website! Prekinders.com has been a valuable resource for me. I only discovered it a few years ago when I left the daycare I was working in and began doing child care in my home. I am a certified teacher with a DCFS licensed daycare home and I work with children ages 2-5 through the school year. I have completely reimagined and reinvented my philosophy of early childhood education, thanks to getting out of the setting I was in. I appreciate your ideas and the fact that you have research-based reasons why you implement them. So many people are afraid to go against the grain and I will never understand why.
Well said!
Well said, I agree with everything you said and I do just that. Limiting the toys and a process art is what I always do and it is a simple week for the children and for me and my assistant. It is also a week to get to know the kids as a group, which kids are having trouble with separation issues, shy children and challenging children. I change my curriculum every year according to the children’s development and what is needed to fulfill their development. I love your website.
You go girl! We have to be advocates for our students when bureaucrats won’t!
I agree with points 2-5 completely! I just don’t know if I can pass on reading “The Kissing Hand.” My kids loved it because I used a raccoon puppet as I read. Thanks for the other book suggestions for the first week!
There is another book, “A Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon”. It’s shorter, I have done the Kissing Hand in the past, but this one is the perfect length.
Thanks for the tip!
What a great list, I did The Kissing Hand for two years and finally realized it was just not working! Last year I did a Pete the Cat tour and he left us his red converse that hung in the room all year. Thank you for all your wonderful ideas!
Thank you, as always, for valuable ideas and suggestions. I also do the exact same thing as you – and I always start with the book Clap Your Hands. It gets even the most quiet kiddos up on their feet those first days as I have them act out the story!!!
Thank ypu for sharing these . What an encouragement to know that I am on the right track. I do not take school tours or read the kissing hand. I made cute shelf covers and attached with velcro. We only put out a few items at a time. My assistant and I will each take half the class and introduce and model materials. I have always stressed that these little people have only been alive for 48 months and for many preschool is the first experience away from parents.
Yes! Thank you! Love the Velcro idea. I usually use old tablecloths.
This is great!! This is only my second year but last year I learned so much that you pointed out here – especially about not having all of the materials out at the beginning of school!
I’ve been teaching preschool for nearly 30 years and agree 100% with you!! A good foundation of the basic rules and learning how to function as a community is well worth the time invested. There will be plenty of time to cover various units more successfully once the foundation is in place. Thanks for all you do – you are a fabulous resource!
Couldn’t agree more. My first theme of the year is “Welcome to School”. We spend the whole month learning procedures. You do have to teach them everything about their new environment and the expectations you have for them. Very good advice about not putting anything out until you’ve taught them how to use it and put it away.
I totally agree! We introduce all materials in small groups and then uncover them on our shelves!!
absolutly agree with your post! If you had asked me ten or even fifteen years ago I would have maybe disagreed. Today, take it simple, take it slow. Especially first time learners. My personal favorite? Singing. Lots of songs with dance moves. This year I’m bringing my ukulele!
I play the Ukulele too! The kids love it. Do you have any favorite songs the kids love?
I also do not have helpers the first week or two of school- after a disaster with a little boy being line leader the first day and thought it should be his job forever!
Thanks so much for the great ideas! I did find the book, What Color is Your underwear book on eBay! Can’t wait to read it!
I’d also say to get up and move! Do an activity, do some music. Do another activity, do some more music. They won’t be used to bouncing from one activity to another yet. Also for the love of all things living, do not do full blown centers the first week. Slowly introduce the centers and how to use the materials. Boring for the teacher, yes, but it pays off, I promise!
I agree! I have always thought the same thing about The Kissing Hand…it seems like it’s more for adults than kids. One of my favorite first week of school books is Pete the Cat — students all love singing along and it’s so much fun!
I actually read it at my Parents Night to the parents. All the moms cry and then we talk about quick kiss drop offs. It is very effective.
Sarah, that’s a wonderful idea for Parents Night! (Reading ‘The Kissing Hand’ to parents.) I’ve never really addressed the important issue of how to say ‘goodbye’ to children, and I think this would be a great way to approach that subject before that first drop-off! 🙂
Thanks for all of your tips, Karen!
Great idea!
I feel that way about THE GIVING TREE AND THE VELVATEEN RABBIT. They are way over Pre-K heads.
I agree Karen, the first week should be getting through the crying and learning procedures! I was an assistant for three years, as teacher this year I’m going to start with No David Goes to School. A funny short book to help review the class rules.
No toe stepping here. I agree with you! For some children, this is the first time away from mom or dad or even other children. They need time to adjust to new people. I set up a playgroup for the children enrolled in preschool. Over the summer we get together at the park, or each other’s homes. This way the children have already met me and the other children. We have already built a relationship. It works great for my small preschool.
Oh, and I love the stick figures. Very cute. 🙂
Great advice. I always tell my aides that the first weeks are just about surviving. After the children get used to school and feel safe and comfortable, we can start on letters and numbers. We don’t need to start pressuring them at 4!
I LOVE these! They are very true, even as a kindergarten teacher.- I always do several, very short read alouds the first day- the David books are great for that! I love keeping things in the closet, too- they don’t destroy it, and we have something nice to bring out in October to raise some excitement!
Thanks for sharing!
Deirdre
I’m a former preschool teacher, now stay-at-home, homeschooling mommy. While I agree with most of the points you make, I have to say that I completely disagree with #4. Yes, 4 years is not very long. Yes, children come from extremely varying backgrounds which will obviously play into what they have been taught. But to assume that children who have never been in structured care before have spent their lives watching TV whenever they want, completely undermines the competency of your students’ parents. And to assume coming in that every child needs to be taught basic manners, how to sit at the table, how to drink from a cup, how to hold scissors, and proper bathroom protocols shows that you have no faith in the parents of your students in being able to raise their children without your help.
But it also shows you don’t believe in the amazing abilities of young children. The amount of learning and growth that happens in those first four years is absolutely astounding and I think young children deserve more credit than what we tend to give them. Given the chance, even four year olds might surprise you with what they are capable of if you only ALLOW them to and BELIEVE that they can, instead of constantly interjecting doubt and assuming they aren’t capable without your guidance and “teaching.”
Maybe you’re having a bad day, but you totally missed my point. You are taking a giant leap in assuming that I undermine my students and their parents.
Don’t worry! All professional teachers get the point Karen. In fact, we depend on the kids with prior learning. Different in group setting and new environment though.
Karen. You are so sweet! You have a right to your opinion and you’re not trying to force it on anyone and if anyone truly knew you, s/he wouldn’t assume this about you.
I have been teaching PreK for 22 years and I agree with you. You have such great ideas to be ridiculed and misinterpreted. I feel that I have great ideas too and have often thought of trying to share like you do . However, I have seen how people react in a negative way when you are expressing an opinion and trying to pass on your experiences with others. That is why I admire you even more for continuing to post to help those who may agree or disagree but use the things they find useful without negative comments. One can take anything that anyone says and turn it into an argument. I think you are “right on” and any parents of past students could vouch that you are a caring and wonderful teacher!
In many circumstances especially in The South Georgia Heat, children watch tv instead of playing outdoors. Furthermore, some parents often allow their children to be in control about many things in their lives and when they go to school for the first time, the child has difficulty adjusting. Not because the parents are bad but because they do it even realize they are hindering their child . Anyway…I would be honored if you were my future Grandchild’s teacher. Keep up the good work!
I TOTALLY support # 4, Karen! I think there’s a huge difference homeschooling PreK kiddos and being employed by an inner city school district. For 27 years I taught Kindergarten in public schools. I agree, some (I wish I could say most) parents have spent quality time with their 4-6 year old children teaching manners, how to use markers, scissors, hold a pencil correctly, how to go to the bathroom unsupervised and to respect materials of others and to be able to follow directions the first time they are given. The fact of the matter is that the majority of children coming through my classroom door do not have these skills. If I want my school year to run smoothly, I must take the time to explain these procedures. If a child knows all of them, yay for them! A little review never hurt anyone! But children that have not had as many life experiences as it appears her children have had, need this time. I have had children stand on toilets, sit on urinals (not knowing what they were because they don’t have one at home and haven’t had the experiences where urinals would be), try to stab other children with scissors because they are sharp and have witnessed their parents trying to stab one another during an argument, colored with markers on furniture in the classroom because it was acceptable at home and I could continue to list more and more stories.
The point of #4 was not to assume all parents are not doing their job. It is saying to not make assumptions that all children are as lucky as yours have been, having a loving and nurturing parent providing guidance during their formative years.
It sounded as though you were offended by #4. I was a bit offended that you made the assumption that all of us teach children that have had a lot of support and guidance in their early little lives. Not all children are as lucky as yours. I feel # 4 is appropriate. Just my opinion. No hard feelings. Just an observation.
I agree with the comments about learning class procedures, but there is another layer to it. I feel that the point Karen was making about children watching TV did not mean that neglectful parents plopped them in front of it 24/7. Many children coming into the structured setting of Pre=k are used to doing what they want, when they want. Not necessarily a bad thing, I tell my students that there are things you can do at home that you cant’t do at school and vice versa- like going to the bathroom – at home you go by yourself whenever the need arises, at school you have to tell /ask a teacher . We just cant leave whenever like that in my class because we have our restroom out in the hall. I’ve had children not want to do their small group because they want to go play somewhere else, or refuse to work with certain classmates. They just have to learn that this is small group and you do what the teacher wants you to do with who the teacher puts you with.for today. Tomorow’s small group will be different, and/or Later you can have free play at center time. It;s more about them learning the schedule/structure of the class and being accepting of it, and having a good attitude about it.
You OBVIOUSLY have NEVER worked in a low economic, Title I, inner city school!!! Most of these students come in knowning nothing but TV or electronics! And the parents DONT care!! As long as the children are away from them for 6 or 7 hours, then these parents are happy!! It is a very sad situation, but it is real life and very factual!!! I have taught in such environments for 11 years!! Nothing is sadder than seeing what these kids go through and yet we have to teach them, only for them to go home and have the parents UNDO what they have been taught!! You need to read some of Ruby Paine’s books on teaching children in poverty!!! It will take you out of your wonderland and put you in the real world….our world today!!!!
It is sad, but it is true. I work in this environment. Many of my kindergarteners come with no school experience. Some parents DO help at home, and others let all responsibility on the teacher simply because they do not know how to help. The good thing is that children at this age are eager to learn, and whith proper guidance they are well prepared at the end of the school year.
Melissa, maybe you’ve been out of the classroom too long, but Karen is 100% right. Many children haven’t been exposed to materials used in the classroom, or are used to having everything done for them. Karen, you have wonderful ideas, and looking at the level of activities you plan for your students it’s very clear you never undermine your children. Looking forward to more great posts!
Melissa, I think you took this too much to heart. One, her notes are light-hearted and funny. You don’t have a bathroom with 4 stalls and 6 urinals, or I assume you don’t, so no most children won’t know basic school bathroom procedures. Eating at the table is a lost art. Many families have busy lives and eat out, on the run and/or at separate times. So maybe you are a little stressed. I found her points salient without being too serious about it all. Sorry if you disagree and I’m proud you have the ability and knowledge to stay home with your family and teach them all the things we need twenty kids to know when you only have one or at least less than ten.
So true, Rhonda!
UM….I have taught State Pre-K for 4 years, however have taught for over 24 years in preschool and even if the students we have have been in a structured environment or not they have not been in a Pre-K class before and unless the teacher teaches on a point schedule or not it is very didn’t than a regular preschool class….I don’t think she was implying that every child is taught how to behave, however out of 22 students I have had 6-9 student that had no idea how to share, take turns, clothed themselves, etc. I do know parenting skills have changed and you can absolutely tell which students are taught responsibilities, structure, and self management (appropriate for age of course) and those who have not been taught these things…..parents have a hard time letting go, I get it…..we as Pre-K teachers prepare for students to succeed in Kindergarten, thus why we teach these steps to our students the first few weeks and if needed more than a few…..I make my class fun while teaching love, respect, and responsibility to my students….I had 5 students that before Pre-K that didn’t want anything to do with school and within the the first week I had those 5 children loving every minute of it……If it isn’t fun it isn’t worth teaching…..I believe this whole hardheartedly especially their first years of school and if not all the way up to 12th grade but I’m really stretching on that……
i appreciate your response. I only hope to be this cool and professional if I am ever confronted by a person firing wildly at me.
I feel I need to respond to your comment. I admire you and all you have accomplished with your children in their early years. You and I know that parents are their children’s first teachers. However, I’ve taucht inner city children for 37 of my 39 years and the stories from these children and parents would shock you! Just yesterday at Meet The Teacher, a mom asked me about bathroom procedures. She told me that if her daughter asked to go to the bathroom, please let her go, because she had been shot last year and only had one kidney! Some of our students have been through more in their short 48 months of life that you will ever go through in your or my lifetime. So please don’t be to critical of what Karen says. She knows what she is talking about.
Mostly good advice! I would comment that your setting and philosophy make a difference. A Constructivist (me) will naturally do things a bit differently than a Behaviorist. I directed a preschool using the High Scope philosophy for nearly 50 years( newly retired!). The setting in my home (not a school building) made a difference, also. One should always give thought to “what works” !!
I’m just a PE Teacher and I couldn’t agree more with all of this. Thanks for reminding me!!
Take that “just” out of there! You are a PE teacher! 🙂 Kiddos need physical education, thanks for what you do! <3
I couldn’t agree more! No one is “just” a teacher, no matter what they teach! You may never know the influence you have on a child just for being you!
Please don’t say “just a PE teacher”…..you are a valuable part of the school. I’m sure you are a wonderful part of your student’s day and lives!
Never say just a PE teacher; when I was in school PE was always my favorite class. It was a time to give my mind a much needed rest and we all need that, especially preschoolers.
I couldn’t agree more. I do read a book called Mouses first day of school about a mouse who goes to prek. Almost everything in the book is stuff you would find in my classroom. We then take a tour of the room ( not the whole school) and find the mice I copied from the book. It is short. I also have what color is you underwear and love that book. I will have to take special care of it now that I know it is out of print!
I also agree 110%. I start the year with an introduction to the classroom. We take several centers to introduce for the first few days. We also come up with class rules (basically teacher led, but with the students putting their input into them too, this gets them involved with the classroom) and learn how to sit during gathering time. I have blocks on the carpet for them to sit in. They can move around in their own block as long as they don’t bother their neighbors. This helps those who just can’t be still yet. We start also doing a unit on “All About Me”. We talk about coming to school, what we will do in school, our family, our favorite things, making friends, etc. This allows the students to become familiar with the school and each other.
We read books about ourselves, friends, family, grandparents, etc. We even have a bring our favorite book to school day. Breaks the ice and helps to promote sharing our books with each other.
I completely agree and what a great list! I was happy to see that I didn’t do anything on the list. I love the pigeon books by Mo Williams. I usually read “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” and let them yell “NO” each time he asks to drive the bus. I don’t tour the room but I pretend to hear a center talking to me and we all go there and I ask for volunteers to help me show everyone how to use the center. When people ask me if I have any advice for the first of the year, I say, “be patient and be prepared to be down on your knees repeating yourself all day, every day for the first two months. But…it will all pay off because they will learn and your gentleness will lead your class down the road to a great year!
Agree! Agree!! Agree!!! Thanks so much for the reminders!!!!!!!! …but I MIGHT not be able to let Chester go……. 😉
Me either…..?
Do it! Be brave!!👍🏼
i agree with all your points. The one I would add is don’t be too nice the first week. Let the children know Who is in charge. We introduce one activity at a time until they learn how to use activities and how to clean up. When this is done well, you will have children who really enjoy activities and you can do testing without too many interruptions. Great ideas!
You can be firm and still be nice. I think it’s more appropriate to say don’t give in or coddle the children inappropriately. I sure don’t want a kid telling their parents after the first week they have a mean teacher!
Agree wholeheartedly!
These are great! I have never had trouble with The Kissing Hand. I thought it too long as well the first time I heard about it but my students have all loved it. I usually give out heart stickers and have them place it on their cheek or something (so it doesn’t wash away when they wash their hands). Llama Llama misses momma is also a favorite along with David goes to School and Knuffle Bunny (which I modify to show students the importance of using their words).
Great advice! Thank you for some new book ideas too! Everybody (PreK – 1st) does the Kissing Hand at the beginning of the year and we end up doing some of the same activities:( I am going to shake it up this year!
Love this! I’m a 1st grade teacher of 10 years and currently in preK for 9 yrs. all points so very true and exactly as I do the first weeks. Have an excellent school year !!
I love using Pete The Cat on the first week. The kids love using egg shakers, blow up guitars, and instruments to sing and dance to the story. I will never forget my first year teaching preschool. I thought I knew what to expect because I had done Kindergarten before. I learned from my mistakes and have learned to definitely cover up toys to keep out of sight until I introduce them and I always have an extra set of helping hands the first day or two. Thank you for always sharing great tips and ideas!
I wholeheartedly agree -especially the reminder about 4 year olds. I usually just summarize books or pick VERY short ones the first week. And look for active parts they can say or act out. Kissing hand is nice if you summarize and use raccoon puppets, but usually better left until they can cut and paste later in the month. I do a “tour” to the bathroom and playground to teach routines. Otherwise I leave tours for our community unit and/or transitioning at EOY. I absolutely loved the reminder on how young they are. Every year I think I remember, but it’s hard after you send off your competent class and get in a new one, to remember how much you really did teach them. And yes a few may know how to write their name and cut, but some will never have used a cup without a top. They are only 4. One year older than 3. Very well written. Thank you.
This is perfect! You nailed it!!! Really for the first six weeks of school! What great advice! My first year in PreK i learned all of those the hard way! Kindergarten teachers need to keep this in mind too-while many of them do go to PreK, some of them still never have been in a structured environment or in a school. Do not assume they know these things-LOVE it!
Very helpful,thank you and I totally agree.
Thanks ! great ideas I’m going to start working as ECC with school board so nervous hope all goes well
thanks
Thank you so much for your suggestions. They are great reminders for Teachers that are developmentally appropriate for children we teach!
I totally agree! I tried The Kissing Hand a few years in a row and also found it too long. Two books I like to read on the first day are My Special Someone and I Love You All Day Long. I use the first week to teach class rules, get them used to our daily routine, teach about hand washing and catching our sneezes and talk about friendship. We paint with a friend, make a “Friendship Fruit Salad” together as a class’ we also practice gluing. We talk about playground safety and manners. We have Free Play time with only two types of toys/centers at a time: wooden blocks/cars, kitchen/dolls, Mr. Potato Head/puzzles…easy familiar activities. Hope everyone has a great school year!
Oh my goodness, Karen!! That is the funniest (and best) advice I have ever read about the beginning of preschool. Our kiddos only come 2 or 3 mornings a week, so this advice holds true for us the entire month of September!! Thanks for the laugh.
I was blessed to take part in a workshop utilizing the book The-First-Days-School-How to be an Effective Teacher by Harry Wong when I first began teaching 3rd grade long ago and learned that teaching procedures during the first days is vital no matter the age group. I do practice all of your suggestions except, I do use The Kissing Hand. I show a video instead of doing a read aloud. Most of not all of my kids are used to watching a screen so attention span is not an issue for the most part. Happy teaching!
Love this…it mostly works for kinder, too, I think.
I love Pete the Cat books. I introduce the parents to them at Open house and begin with them, they have catchy music and a great message. The kissing hand is something I end the year with.
Agree!!
I’m a homeschool mom with a new PKer this year, and you know what? This is great advice even for me. Ok, so we’re not doing a tour of the kitchen, but your “don’t do a theme” makes sense to me — we should work on getting into the routine of school. Short books, not “fantastic literature,” and don’t forget he’s brand new at this, even if he’s watched his other siblings work on schoolwork his whole life.
I most definitely agree with the five mistakes teachers make on pre -k. I have learned to take my time with explaining procedures to the children and having them listen to and follow directions through music in circle time. I love reading short funny books like “Pete the Cat”. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
i always began the kindergarten year with a HANDS theme. How our hands use classroom materials, how they treat others, even helped introduce the “p” sound by punching, pinching,, poking, pulling play dough, but never doing those things to our friends! Lots of short, amusing and informative hands stories are available, as well.
Thank you and can’t agree more. I spend my first week or so on classroom organization, classroom behavior etc so when it comes time for real classwork they can handle it.
Your top mistakes DON’T just apply to PreK. My first 2 weeks are spent on “routines and habits,” the things I expect the kids to do all year. A lot of the teachers in my school think it’s all about getting started on the CORE standards. Funny thing is, my kids are able to concentrate better and stay on task longer than those who jumped right in. Just to let you know, this is my 33rd year of teaching, and I’ve taught every grade from 2nd to 10th. You keep sharing. I thought this was great advice to pass out!!
I have taught Early Childhood for 15 years and agree with all 5 points. My input for new teachers is that it is crucial to build a relationship with the family also as much as possible. I try to contact the families before school starts in person or by phone if I can’t reach them .
Many people don’t understand how uniquely different Pre-K is from other grades, even Kindergarten. You get it and I enjoy following you on Facebook. Thanks for sharing, especially to help all the newer teachers to Early Childhood.
I agree with all of these except I did read “The Kissing Hand”. It is long, which is why (after 15 years of reading it), I condenced it to the basics. We also traced their little hands so mommy would have a “kissing hand” at home while her baby was at school. A favorite with mommies and kiddos.
Thank you for point out these 5 mistakes that are commonly made in preschool classrooms. There is a lot that can be done, but it is definitely important to understand that children at this age do have pretty low attention spans. Thus, it is important to start simple by providing children with experiences that are short, fun, familiar, and engaging. It may not be a book that is super academic and they may not be doing worksheets, but they will be learning. Again, thanks for the great advice!
I retired from teaching elementary school for 36 years. Now I teach 4/5 year olds and I think I’ve learned more in the past 2 years than I would have ever felt possible. Little ones are a whole new ball game . Thanks for the great article- lots I will remember from this ! So blessed to still be teaching!
Very good advice for ‘beginning PreK teachers’ but seasoned teachers (and specifically in Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, NC- PreK classes) we spend the first few days, first, with “staggered entry” only 4-5 students per day for 3-4 days before they all come together in one group… and the next few WEEKS getting acquainted with each other, gradually adding classroom routines, such as centers, playground, schedules, how to play with toys (i.e., put them back when you’re finished and SHARING– this one is a ‘biggie’ and often needs to be facilitated!!– As far as reading goes, I often let the children choose books from the class library and we attempt to read them ALL, just not at one sitting!! [one at the beginning of the day, one during Circle Time, one on the Playground and one right before naptime, etc….] Also, we do Home Visits, so we can see if they have a favorite book already and make sure that book is in the classroom when they arrive!! Routines, such as going to the bathroom, eating meals, group meetings and naptime can be quite leisurely as 4-5 children get acquainted with PreK during Staggered Entry days…
This is Spot-On correct! I begin my preschool week with the Three R’s: Routine, Rules and Room!
I teach kindergarten and I think all of these apply for kinders as well. I use a sticker system to gradually allow access to materials in the classroom. Once I’ve introduced a material and the students have had an initial try-it-out time, I put a small red smiley face sticker on the container or shelf. I teach my students from Day 1 that the only materials available are the ones with the red smiley face sticker. This has worked well for us for over 20 years.
What a great idea! That would cut down on the “can we play with…?” Questions in my room for sure! Thanks for sharing!
I could not agree with you more but I still love reading “The Kissing Hand” with my students. I give each of my students and parents “a kissing hand” at the start of the first day. It helps to remind them that mommy or daddy os always with them.
I finally put The Kissing Hand away the first week after my third year in Preschool!! THERE!! I said it out loud!! It never felt “legal” until now!!! Thank you!!! It is just too L O N G!!:)
I agree whole hearty. I am a Head Start teacher and the first 45 days is a killer. We are stressed out enough with all that needs to be done with paper work etc. I do the very basic for the first 45 days encouraging sitting, bathroom skills, walking in the classroom, manners and the biggest challenge is re-directing, crying. I don’t put a lot of toy on the shelves, and I use hard cover books for them to use.
I hat the Kissing Hand I never read it…it is boring. I use a persona doll to help me out with the kids.
If you don’t know what or how to use a persona google is your best friend.
Thanks for the great posting..It is very true.
Charlene
That’s exactly how I do it the first week. Using the KISS method we ‘keep it simple silly’. 😉
No curriculum, short books and basically getting to know each other and new friends. ;-D
I taught Kindergarten for 30 years, and I have to say your points ring true even for Kinders!! Routines and procedures are imperative or the next nine months will be insane!
I love that you take the time to share your experiences and knowledge!
I agree completely! I gave up on the kissing hand a couple of years ago. The last time I read it to my class I thought ‘ when is this book EVER going to end’! I found myself frustrated and paraphrasing each and every page. And I wondered why on earth I felt like I had to read that book! It was liberating when I finally decided to shelf it entirely.
The rest of your list was great too!
Some great things to dwell on.
Thanks! This will be my first year teaching preschoolers. I have taught second, third, and sixth grade previously. This article was very helpful.
This is good advice for all primary grades. I teach second grade. Sometimes we are so focused on doing the cutsie things we forget the basics. Even students that have been at the same school since Kinder, need reminding.
Thanks for the reminder to take it slow in the beginning. Great post.
I love this list! They are all so accurate. The biggest thing I have learned with 3 and 4 year old’s is that “less is more”! Great advice you have posted.
AMEN! This needed to be said, it would be great to have a similar handout for parents to know what their child really will be learning in preschool!
I like to read the No David books the first week or two. They’re short and funny, so they completely hold almost all of the kids attention. Plus, you can talk about the good/ bad choices David makes and relate it back to school rules.
Same here. Great way to introduce rules.
I absolutely agree with all the points you have made. When I went from teaching kindergarten to pre k, giving up The Kissing Hand was one of the hardest things to leave behind but it is definitely way too long for most 4 year olds. In my school we are expected to have a theme going on from day one so I start with My School and Me. This way I can justify teaching routines and procedures. I have also had to quietly fight for turning shelves around and not having all my materials out from day one Luckily I have won that battle.
I sooooo agree! I teach Head Start 4 year olds and we spend the first 21 days of school teaching procedures, bringing in supplies and centers s-l-o-w-l-y, one at a time. I do a lot of reading but make sure the books are short and fun, nursery rhymes,finger plays and fun songs daily.
THANK YOU. Sometimes we need some encouragement and permission to do what we know is the right thing. I’ve learned to be prepared with a routine but not be disappointed if we don’t get to everything! It’s more important to have a wonderful beginning for Rome was not built in a day or a week or a month! I love it when a parent tells me after the first weekend that their little was begging to come back to school on Saturday. I know I did something right.
THANK YOU Karen for your commitment to children and the time you take to help other teachers of young children.
I agree with points 2-5…. I love the book Kissing Hand…. And so do the children. All of my kids have been attentive. I use the raccoon puppet and give heart stickers every time I read it! I also love the authors website- “Prekinders” —- it’s literally one of THE BEST websites out there for pre-k teachers!!!
Thanks Rashanda! I feel that if the Kissing Hand works for you, go with it! The article is my opinion only.
I use my puppets the first 2 weeks of school. I have a hyper duck, a quiet mouse, and a BIG scruffy dog. Each one has a different role in teaching the kids rules and boundaries in those first few weeks. Weeks later the kids ask me about them. Only 1 puppet remains with us the entire year. It has worked for me for many years, and also helps me deal with the first week jitters.
I enjoyed these comments…and as a recently retired pre-school/kindergarten/elementary social worker would like to share that some of the “ways to navigate a new group environment” were challenging for a number of children.
It was very useful for them to have their “bubble space” (aka personal space) spatially defined, as well as to learn how to maintain their bubble space and respect that of others in various settings throughout the school day. It was especially important for them to use these skills , during circle time, line walking, and during snack time. I read my, as yet unpublished” book about a lottlwe practiced these skills in the various settings. They loved it! ” Check your ‘bubble space’ was a common theme in classes. The kids loved it! As some folks mentioned, they may have been taught social skills at home, but in this new environment, they need a ” refresher” course in “how to BE in a new group”
Wishing you all the best for a productive school year!
This is kind of funny to me. I have been teacher and administrator at schools for many years, over 25 or so. I think the most important thing is teacher/child relationships. To some of these children you are a stranger and when the parent or any other adult has been telling them not to talk to strangers and such you are trying to get over that whole scary vibe. So if you are pushing rule after rule onto a child and giving them all sorts of guidelines it can be, well quite boring. On a first day I try to give them as “yes” things as I can. Yes, lets build with blocks, yes, lets color, yes lets go outside and run. I think you get the idea. I do things that I find just as fun for me and read stories that I enjoy to read. I believe that the more I am having fun, the more they will be able to feel that. I do not have lesson plans the first couple of weeks. We have fun and learn a few things along the way. I find it takes less time to get them ready to pick up rules when you establish a strong relationship. There are many learning styles and as educators we have to learn to teach to as many as we can.
I like to use Quick As A Cricket, or All By Myself as first day books. Short, sweet, and focused on the child. Kissing Hand can be a trigger for some children and I’d rather not focus on missing Mom! As far as teaching children how to use materials, I try to mostly use materials that are open for free exploration, ala Reggio-inspired, BUT there are certainly procedures to teach! And some materials are used a certain way. We, for example, have a shelf of activities that require the use of a work rug; we show how to roll and unroll the rug, and stress that it is not to be stepped on. Equipping kids to function well in the classroom just makes everyone feel more safe, more confident, and more capable. Thanks for the article!
This is a great post! I totally agree about teaching procedures, avoiding the Kissing Hand, and the dreaded “tour”! The comments have some great ideas too. Thanks for sharing!
Amen! Well said and I agree 100%. I’ve been teaching for 30 years and experience teaches you what not to do.
Awesome thank you for the Brilliant ideas . Love the one about the fun short books . Thank you
On target! Along with these ideas, think about using simple language, slowing the pace, and establishing some of those routines that were mentioned. Establishing routines early may seem monotonous, but they will allow teachers to be freer with instruction time and observe some amazing learning taking place over the course of the year.
I like the kissing hand book when i have a new kid in my class. I must say I read book with the name of the classroom… Thanks for the others book suggestions… I do not do the school tour but I do my classrooom tour, where all the stuff and everything.
First I would like to say, no toes were stepped on here, and until a few years; pre k was overlooked and the model some had was what kindergarten had done, and many publications still use that model today. I love how you broke down the actual development of these lil people and how there world works transitioning into this new environment. I have been teaching this way for many years and it has always been a successful journey. In my opinion we teach self help skills first and the rest comes later. I personally monitor how many stories I can read in group when school starts, and compare how many they can read close to the end of the year. Usually first day we get through two short stories and by the end of the year they are requesting more, and more longer in length and we usually land on 4! Which is a great milestone and it shows me there development. I also use the first weeks to observe there behavior and document this for there files, and then I compare near the end to show the parents there growth. Wonderful article, I plan only copying this and having my other teachers read this. Great!!
I agree. I read the kissing hand because I had kids that cried and the book had a happy ending. Wimberley worried is another book I have read in place of the kissing hand. This book helps the children to not to worry so much. I use my Wemberly worry voice and the children laugh. Thanks for the tips.
Good advice and hilarious pictures!!!!! I’m a preK special ed. teacher and teaching how to follow routines is step #1. We make several sets of visual schedules on 2 x 2 inch cards that are on a key ring with a carabineer clip. We show the kids the picture of what they’re supposed to be doing and let them hold the ring of pictures (or drop it or sometimes throw it!) Sometimes as they catch on, they flip to the picture of what they would rather do, which always cracks me up. For instance, I show them the ‘circle time’ card and they flip to ‘playground’ card.
Oh, that is so cute, Mary!
I would have to agree. My co-teacher and I teach 3 year old’s. While many are coming to us from the 2 year old classroom some may be brand new to school and /or Preschool. Even though they are coming to us from the rooms next door we still need to teach them all of the procedures you mentioned. New room, environment, children and teachers. As much as the super cute things are done it will be a week (or two) of learning to be together in community. This is only my 2nd year at this school after a very long break from teaching so even I need to be reminded of what is important that first week. Thank you for an encouraging post.
BTW-I’ve never heard of The Kissing Hand.
Agree with everything. Also, I had done so many things just for Mom and Dad and then I just had to let everyone know that the fist days are for the children feeling comfortable not being forced to make cute things for mom and dad. I do love to read Mouse’s First Day at School for my 3year old class and Petethe Cat for 4/5,year olds. Love your website and love that you share. Happy Back to School!!
Totally agree with you, thanks for always sharing such a wonderful ideas and materials!!! Love it♡
Thank you for this great advice and appreciate the wisdom you’ve shared through experience. We need to give these children reasons to want to come back everyday and also learn a little more about them and their interests in the process.
I agree also. They are 48 months old! During recent Summer Fun Days. we had a 4th of July Parade. We walked about a half of a block with music, parents, and carrying our favorite stuffed animals. Our most competent and self-assured 4 year old girl said, “This was the scariest thing I’ve ever done!” It reminded me to be careful and intuitive with these tender ones.
I do agree with everything you said that’s why I only do rules and routines. After this we go over each learning area (center).
I totally agree with the school tour, way to much I usually introduce a classroom center a day, along with procedures for using the materials in that area!!! Great information!! Also I have found that when you read books like The Kissing Hand and you have children that are having separation anxeity reading these types of stories so soon may prolong the separation anxeity. I would usually wait until the students are comfortable with separation before reading them.
I agree with you about The Kissing Hand prolonging separation anxiety. They need to do fun things so they can forget that Mom is not near them.
Karen, I totally agree the first week should mainly focus on introductions of basic materials, their proper use and storage, setting classroom rules and getting the routine down. I prefer to keep it simple the first few weeks and allow them lots of playground time. It pleases me to hear there are so many more of us that go against the grain than I realized. It is always about the needs of the children. Getting those basic skills down will make for a much more pleasant and less stressful year. I have taught 2 1/2 thru 6 year olds for 23 years and all my experience points to this. Hooray to you for saying it out loud!!!!!!!
I have been teaching preschool for over 20 years and totally agree with what you wrote. If the classroom rules, routines, and procedures are firmly set at the beginning of the year, the children know exactly what they are allowed to do and not to do. There are fewer behavior problems that develop as a result of that. I especially like the idea of reading a simple, fun book to the children on the first day. Karen, I look forward to reading your blog every week and go to your website when I have to plan a new topic. Thank you!
Thank you for the info!!! I will definitely tweak some things this year!
Karen,
I completely agree with you. The first week should consist of learning the classroom promises, routines, centers and etc. I have been reading the Kissing Hand for the past few years and all the children do not sit and listen to the book and it would really frustrate me. It is good to know I’m not the only one who reads that book, during the first week. I’m going to try reading other funny books the first week of school. Maybe I can get all of their attention. Huh?? But thanks for the advice.. It was very very helpful.
Although I’ve worked with children in some capacity for 20 years, this will be my first year as a TK teacher. I agree with your post – keep it simple! Routines, rules, room and relationships will be my focus. My theme is ” We are a community”! The kids need to get to know their teachers and each other first. I plan to build on the community theme with learning the rules/routines/reponsibilities of our community.
As for the Kissing Hand I honestly did not find it appealing. I like many of the book suggestions listed and plan to investigate them. School starts in 3 weeks! I’ll be back to this sight….often! Thanks!
Kudos Karen! I agree 100% and in my older age I have become more realistic in my expectations for the first few weeks of school for myself, as well as my students. The outcome is refreshing! Children learn the important routines and mechanics of functioning in the classroom and as a community and I reap the benefits of the organization throughout the year because I started on day 1 of school. Happy new school year to all:)
I like to read Brown Bear, Brown Bear and the other booksinthe series like Polar Bear, polar Bear etc. the first days of school. I also read the Five lLittle Monkeys series of books and Pete the Cat books. The students enjoy them andthey are short. You can show theYou Tube videos for an extension tothe books. There are also a lot of activitiesto dowith the books andyou cab act out the books for a movement activity. There are nath and color small group activitesthat can go along with the books as well. The vocabulary is rich and promote livelydiscussions
Thank you for that! I am going to be teaching PreK for the first time this year after 34 years of kindergarten! I’ve been struggling with the idea of a school hunt ( it was stressful enough for kinders). And what stories to read. Thank you for permission not to read certain ones! I’m looking for ward to future letters from you!
This article is spot on! I LOVE the idea of wrapping the various items in the classroom! That way, you can have a great question and answer period with your kiddos, and give them something to be excited about.
This is such a valuable piece of advice for preschool teachers.loved the “procedures ” one.
I agree with your ideas…. Thanks Karen…. Those will really help our kids…
Love your ideas! Thanks for stirring up the pot. 🙂
I always thought The Kissing Hand was too long for preschoolers, too! My daughter came home with it the first day of kindergarten and wouldn’t sit though it. I have no idea how she did it in class (if she even did, lol!)
Dear Karen,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have always been of this view also, that first week especially for the young ones should be planned and spent on explaining and demonstrating procedures to them.
I think I will hold off on the first day of school books and choose some fun books, I think you may be right. Also, I do the same thing regarding toys. I introduce them gradually until I show them how to use them and respect them. I learned this the hard way, they do get overwhelmed with too much. Thanks!
I am in Australia (AND an old hand – much nicer than saying an older teacher!!) My first week’s job is GETTING TO KNOW THE CHILDREN!! No tours, no books about school….just about what they need to know NOW!! My favourite book is the Arthur story – makes everyone laugh.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Love the illustrations!! So true in so many ways……I would love to share my love with books by Todd Parr…..great for short, circle time reading (AND circle time sharing…you can do so much with his material!). The I’m Not Scared Book is wonderful and his books always inspire just the right amount of laughter for a situation. For those who rely on The Kissing Hand….there is an abridged board-book version for 3 and 4 year olds. The exact title escapes me right now but can easily be Googled.
I totally agree with everything you said. Since it may very well be the first day away from their parent(s), my motto, instead of a planned first week is: SURVIVAL. For myself, for my assistant, and for the children. It’s usually so stressful, that I mentally block out what I’ve done in years past…we all have to learn what we need to do to get along and live together, so to speak, for the entire school year… I suggest to parents, to give their child a full 2-3 weeks to make the adjustment which still may not be complete at that point, and that’s okay.
For the children, my focus is : Fun, Familiarity, Friends, and Function. We focus on getting to know new faces, procedures, etc. and THE ROUTINE. Even if we don’t actually engage in the specifics of the routine, we do set that time frame even on the first day and go through the motions…and EMotions!! Always have fun…because that’s what keeps them coming back…
The greatest gift of all in June is to see the tremendous growth of even the ‘littlest flower’ in the bunch!
Have a great year everyone!
I liked your article! I do a “tour” each year, but it’s less of a “Look at that!” and more of a heads up thing. We visit the bathroom, playground, gym, and cafeteria to talk about what they can expect to happen and what they will be asked to do there today. And then we actually practice the procedure (cafeteria especially and our line up chant for gym/playground), go to the bathroom, and get to play a little (gym and playground). We make it really fun! They get reminders and more practice right before we go for real and when we are there at the scheduled time, but I found that the tour really helped them to be a little more relaxed during the day. They at least knew a little of what to expect instead of everything being a never ending string of complete and utter surprises.
I do the same with rest time. I don’t wait until rest time to teach my rest time expectations. I do it soon after we get back from the tour. They help teach a silly elephant how to lie still and quiet on her mat. When it is rest time, they have something to remember how to rest.
It made it a lot easier on them and me to show them what I expect and what they can expect before it actually happens.
This year I’ll teach 3s instead of 4s, so it will be an interesting first days for sure!
So on it!! Thankyou Karen, the list encourage me even more in doing my first week of school.
As I come from a non english speaking country so my first week is Nursery Rhymes and Songs. I still do one that “school” related though, Mary Had a Little Lamb 🙂 the children love it since they also learn the term “against the rules” as their new spoken english words. Just today for our closing I introduced the words “allowed” by asking them if they were allowed to bring an animal or pet to school what would they have… then cats, rabbits, tigers, lions and even a gorilla were “allowed” to come to school and not “against the rules” the children got excited to share their ideas 🙂
At the end of the day, it was indeed a fine day for me after the hectic of the first week.
I like the way you teach Mary Had a Little Lamb and connect it to the rules!
Thanks to you Karen 🙂
I really appreciate what you do, sharing your experience in teaching is like learning from the expert! Good luck for s y 2015-2016 ✌
Your 5 tips are clearly colored with experience, so should definitely be taken into consideration by teachers interested in a productive stress free first week. (And is there a teacher that isn’t?) Personally, I need a little “organized chaos”, but stress I can do without. So thank you for taking the time to share your opinions with us.I do not particularly agree or disagree, because each school and teacher is different . However, your tips do follow my own thoughts for the most part because I am a pretty out of the box kinda person. Not really into following the mold or the traditional way of doing things. I have been a Pre-K teacher for about 9 years. However, the way our school works is a little different than the usual I think. Since I only teach Science and Art in my classroom and other teachers on our team cover other concepts/subjects. I like to start school with an ocean theme of sorts since it’s the end of summer. Rainbow fish is a fun story and teaches the concept of sharing and appreciating the differences in our friends. I also use story cans which contain items (like fish, scales and other stuff) the kids can add to our ocean (waterbead sensory bin) as we read. Since fish “school”(follow each other) it is fun to practice lining up and following the leader as bubble music is played. All the tranquil blues and soft greens in the decorations used for my room help create a peaceful transition for the kids as parents leave them in the morning. My walls also have textured items on them, so less centers are needed as the walls themselves are a sensory point. I also agree the first week needs to be about rules and expectations with a “splash” of fun. It’s hard not to have a lot out when doing science for Pre-k so it is really important that the kids (and the Parents) understand the classes rules and format right from the start. I put almost everything in writing also, because I have also run into many situations where kids (and sometimes their parents)need basic “etiquette” reminders when engaging in activities in a social setting, like the classroom. A simple note with picture explanations as well as the words, so the kids and parents know what I am explaining and expecting. Clears up all later misunderstandings (usually). Not undermining either of their intelligence levels, just saying new experiences often create impulse driven behavior that may not always be acceptable.Thanks again for the tips I’m always willing to listen (and take) to good advice. Hope everyone has a good school year – start to finish.
Thanks Julie! I feel pretty out of the box, too. That’s an interesting concept where each teacher teaches a different subject. I haven’t heard of that in Pre-K before, but I might actually like doing that.
totally agree with you!
been teaching pre-k for 25 years. right now I teach at 3 different levels: pk-2, 3, and 4.
only the 4 yr old come in the class. I go to the other two.
in my school, we follow the responsive classroom curriculum. this program suggests that we do just that, train the children routines, procedures, how to use glue, etc. for the first 6 weeks of school.
being that my time is very limited with the 4s, four hours a week, I can’t use the first 6 weeks for “training”, so I use the 2 first weeks.
It does pay off later on. There is much less time spent redirected, reminding, introducing later in the year. The children know exactly where everything is, how to use and store it, and they learn the routine quickly. Totally agree also with these books you mentioned. They are too long for this early in the year. I rather have them talk about themselves, their families, hobbies, etc. from there we do letters in their name and their parents/siblings, make simple graphs, count, add, etc.
thank you for all you do Caren. I don’t know where you get the time to keep up this web site. my hat’s off to you. keep it up!
As usual, Karen, you offer sound advice. My favorite book to start the year off with is Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems! It lends itself quite well to furthering a discussion of how we should treat each other, not to mention some fantastic vocabulary opportunities. Pete the Cat (White Shoes) is another great one to start with because it can really help set the right frame of mind for myself and the children when it comes to dealing with problems that are going to come our way!
Thank you for not making me feel crazy! I teach Kindergarten, but I still use all 5 of those rules. I have taught 30 years and every Fall someone asks me why I am not reading The Kissing Hand on the first day of school. I also, never do a tour of the whole school and I always ask staff members to not pop into my classroom to see how cute my Kindergarteners are! I tell them to pop in any of the other days all year just not the 1st few. All your rules make since to me. Thanks for sharing so much of your materials and thoughts with us all. It is nice to know we are not alone! Good Luck on your 1st day.
Thanks Noreen! Good luck to you, too! That’s one reason why I wrote this — so that teachers who don’t want to follow these school traditions won’t feel like they are crazy for not doing it.
P.S. to everyone: I wish I could reply to each person’s comment here, but there are so many. Thank you all for commenting here, and sorry I haven’t been able to reply back. I read them all, though!
Greetings
Isn’t it amazing what experiences teaches us? Groups can vary in maturity from year to year. I must agree that shorter periods are developmentally appropriate for the youngest preschoolers and even some kindergartners who may not have had preschool experiences to draw from. Increase time as children grow and learn with months to come. Incorporating good classroom management and getting children comfortable with school routines and procedures will develop the learning , social and emotional skills of children in positive ways.
As ever, appreciate your advice and helpful ideas. Excellent job maintaining your website:) Your students and families are very fortunate.
M. D. Mortsfield (PPI, P.O.H.I special ed. general ed. k-12 teacher-25+ years)
I agree completely. I will definitely share this information with my co-worker. With the group of children that will b entering our room that would be great to start our year off. Thanks
Thank you so much Karen, I always look forward to read all your recommendations. This will make it easier for me to start my year.
Love to see your posts ALWAYS! I gave up on the school tour because we do staggered entry for 4 days before the whole class is altogether, so I get bored walking around with only 6 kids. Some years I join another teacher, so I can get a bathroom break, but mostly I have given up on the tour and see it as a time waster. We also have required assessments that we do on those staggered days. Anytime I can get in the floor and build or play a game I do. Since it is a full day there is also no rest-time and the staggered days are long. I like to model how I expect kids to use materials and begin teaching some procedures. I try to read books that are funny or have a predictable text tat the kids can join in on.
Thank you SO much for your sharing these! Although I am not new to teaching, I am new to preschool. This will be my second year, and these tips are perfect! I will definitely take them all into consideration when planning my first few weeks of school.
I love your website and use so many of your things. Thank you so much for all that you do!
As a former primary school teacher, I agree your suggestions were right on. My encore career is a prek teacher in a local day care. Learning procedure is important at any age. I am an animated oral reader so I just books my kids will enjoy. Keep up the good work.
I agree with these 5 common mistakes. In September, I always remind myself that I am not picking up where they left off in June. It is a brand new group of kids. I need to get to know each child and each child needs to get to know me and each other. Yes to fun, humorous and short books that capture their attention. Yes to engaging, select activities to teach expectations in the classroom. My first year as a pre-K teacher, every possible center was out and stocked up at the beginning of the year. I quickly learned that the kids and I did not need everything out to have a fun first days of school. Thank you Karen for sharing all you knowledge and experience and creating a network of professionals from all over the place.
I just started and I love your website, I have learn so much from you and am still learning thank you so much.
Great article!I switched from second grade to preschool and l learned a lot of those lessons the HARD way! Now I tell myself and my associate, “There’s ONLY 1 first day!” to help us get through it. I use Lego people and/or cars to demonstrate what a line is and what a line is not.Each year I’ve learned to go slower and model everything and each year gets smoother and smoother. My wonderful associate always reminds me, “They’re ONLY 4!”.
Great advice.
Thanks for sharing.
Love your ideas.
This is the most important advice you can give ANY teacher, of any grade. You have to build relationships and procedures the first week of school. Always be prepared for the unexpected and it will come.
Thank you so much for the reminder that many of our students do not come from structured homes or even previous classrooms that adhered to rules and procedures.
We desire so much to make the first week a wonderful experience that sometimes we forget our ultimate goal….to make learning meaningful and relevant to the child.
Be blessed always and again thank you for thr reality check!
Hope Smith
Whatever you said, I agree with 100%. I have been doing this for the past 20 years plus! It is a great way to ease the children into preschool
Hey fellow Georgia Pre K teacher. I’m in Macon Georgia and I agree with everything you said. It’s good to know someone else thinks the same as I do. Thanks for the link.
Wonderful information! It was so funny to read about myself! Thanks a bunch and I will diffidently make some modification to my first weeks of school.
Thanks again Karen for “stirring up the pot”. I’ve found the collection of those
funny Thomas books as well as Owl Babies , I love you all day long, and Mary had
a little lamb. The Pete books and Arthur books were all checked out , so I’ll try them later. Kissing Hand may be more understandable by February. I substitute
No David with Bono the monkey and the kids take home the emergent reader
home with a free download on google. I think we’ll sing Twinkle twinkle since Bono earns stars for positive behavior.
My favorite first day of school book is Red Rhino by Alan Rogers – I have to purchase a new copy this year because after 15 years, mine is finally worn out. We read this book over and over again and each time the children delight in finding where the red ballon is hiding on each page. The simple text and illustrations are great for Prek and ESOL learners. I also like Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
Happy First Day of School everyone!
What a joy, reading all the comments—-totally agree with everyone!!!!!!!! I am a retired teacher from the Catholic school system. I dreaded the first two weeks of school, came home everyday exhausted from trying to keep everyone attentive, etc., etc., now I am teaching preschool and I think I have learned my lesson——-take it easy the first couple of weeks and give them a chance to get use to being seperated from mom and all the other new things that preschool brings their way.
Good luck to all you wonderful teachers as the new school year fast approaches.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on how to make the first days and weeks of pre-K go more smoothly. I appreciate your comments and understand that you are sharing what you’ve learned from years of experience, that you hope to help others by sharing your experiences, and that one can take or leave what you offer. Your ideas are worth passing along, and I intend to share them with pre-K teachers with whom I work in my system. I have gained so many wonderful ideas from you, especially from the photos you share, and I thank you for your willingness to pass along insights and ideas! Please know that you are appreciated! I look forward to a new year with you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have dealt with my dislike of that book, “The Kissing Hand” for the beginning of school for several years. I’ve had other teachers, parents, co workers and even administrators lobby for this theme.
Why do I want such little ones to focus on a book that has so much sadness? The book’s overall message is too far beyond them for the first day of school! It’s even harder when you have a co worker that makes this book her whole focus the first day of school, including the run around the school tour, Kleenex and goodbye notes for the parents, and hand art projects for a craft!
I like to use this book during our preparation for Mother’s Day in May as an example of the loving things our Mom does for us.
Thank you for this article. I was freaking’ out because I start back up on the 10th and have nothing ready, well so I thought till I read this article. Your right. I will wait to start my theme till the following week. I run a preschool with multi ages so your correct about sitting still. Have a very diverse group this school year. I have eliminated a lot of stuff from my classroom. Some others have mentioned I need more this and that in my class and I said no I have just enough. Please wish me luck that I made the correct decisions. My last school year was, well let’s just say I almost considered retirement. With all this new age technology kids are so different. I refuse to let technology into my classroom (some of you may disagree and that’s okay), I am a hands on learning environment and my program is also literacy based, I love books, lol. Thank you again you made my day. You have opened my eyes that I need to be myself and stop trying to be like others, we all have our different ways of teaching and it’s worked for me for 28 years. God Bless.
Kudos to you, I feel exactly as you do. Do whatever you feel comfortable doing, Experience has taught me to take the less stressful path on the first weeks of school and I find this makes the rest of the year go much more smoothly for me and for the children.—–Remember, LESS STRESS IS BEST!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK & ENJOY THE COMING SCHOOL DAYS.
I’m not a teacher yet I’m still in college I found these tips very helpful for when I do become a preschool teacher and will definitely mention these tips in my class’s during discussions
Absolutely agree! Simple, simple, simple is our motto the first couple of weeks. These wonderful little beings need to learn what it’s like to function as part of a group. I want them to feel safe, comfortable, cared for and engaged…so much so that they want to come back each day to find out what’s next!
I love these 5 tips and feel they are absolutely true:) We have to remember that these little people (at least most of them) are walking into your classroom for the 1st time with an adult that is brand new and a stranger to them. The first day/ first week of school can be scary for them. They need time to get familiar with you, their new friends, and their new classroom environment as well as the classroom rules, schedules, and safety rules that most of them have never experienced. I’ve learned that the 1st week sometimes ends up a trial and error time since some groups can differ from others. I am looking forward to this new year with my little friends <3
I agree completely! I taught preschool for 7 years (I teach 2nd grade now), and I avoided all those things but one–I have to admit to reading The Kissing Hand on the first day of school EVERY year I taught there. LOL I did tend to rush through and sometimes even skip sentences that weren’t completely necessary to get finished before havoc broke loose on the carpet 😉
I have been teaching Pre-k for 10 years and love your website. I agree with you on what not to do on the first week of school. The first couple of weeks are so stressful. Its so important to get class routines established first and school rules before you start anything else. If you don’t you are going to have a tuff year.
Karen- you hit everything exactly on the head! Last year was my first time teaching in a preschool that wasn’t a childcare center. It is a very different environment and yes these little guys , most anyway, are entering a structured environment for the first time. I am so glad you mentioned the Kissing Hand- I looked at it last year and I thought “Good Lord, this is really WORDY,”. How would these munchkins sit through this? I chose not to read it. Thank you for your post – it reminds all of us to take a step back and realize we don’t have to do everything all at once or just because everyone does it!!
I agree we sure run ourselves raged and really simple is a much better way to go, as children really are just trying to find their comfort zone away from home
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This has been my first time with 3’s, and now all of my 3’s that know what to do are moving up to the 4’s room. The new children are struggling and I thought it was me, but now I know that we just need to work on procedures!!! What a relief! That will be my “theme” the week after next. I love this website!
This is super helpful. I am coming from elementary and will be starting my first year in pre-school, special education pre-school at that, so these tips are great. Keep them coming.
Thanks again.
Thank you for this! I have been teaching many years too and was considering what I read the first day (week) of school. Now I’m going to stick to what I have been doing for some time now. I read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Many of the children are familiar with that story so they are more engaged and I think it is comforting to them on a day of so many new things.
I agree with you, because this is what pre k teachers have to do and in this way we can improve ourself.
Thanks for your great ideas! I usually did school tour, chose the books about starting school and ready for toys and art. I totally agreed with you it was stressed.
thanks
I never thought about it, but yes I agree with you and I am going to try out all your suggestion for the first week of School thanks you
You are a GENIUS!! Thanks SO MUCH for sharing your knowledge with us. I’m so excited to not do a classroom tour this year
Hi,
I totally agree with you. I have been teaching preschool for over fifteen years and in that time you learn a lot. I actually start every school year with flannel board story, most of the time it is the three bears. Their attention span is so short a book is just lost time. Their little minds are so engaged in the flannel board stories, because I do the voices and characters. They come back the next few days begging to do it again. I use different flannel board stories for the next several weeks to get them adjusted to sitting and listening for longer periods of time.
Wow–when I read the title, I got ready to feel guilty assuming that since I have only taught pre-k for two years I probably did all the “don’ts”!! But, thankfully I do none of those things–yea-and I agree with everything you said!! I actually teach pre-k 3 so yea the kissing hand is way too long and involved for my kids!! Although I have a copy I do not think I have ever read it. I have taught third, first, kinder, second and pre-k 4 though so I actually think your ideas are very applicable to any grade—most important thing to teach the first week–ROUTINES. If you don’t, you will have trouble teaching anything else all year long! Love your website!! Thank you!!
Thanks, Tara! My intent was to be helpful, not to make anyone feel guilty — I hope no one does!
I agree with you 100%! Pre-K’s need instruction regarding what to do in their own classroom and how to behave, not touring the entire school! I like the idea of a mini classroom tour though. They will have many questions about the most random things they see! Haha!
I totally agree!! You took the words right out of my mouth!! Thanks!
I love this! I’m not a teacher, but my little girl is starting pre-k next week and it is her first time experiencing anything like this. I KNOW she will be excited and overwhelmed. I can’t imagine what it’s like to deal with 20 more kids just like her. I think as her mom, my only real expectation is that pre-k is great for learning how to go to school. They learn so quickly, I wouldn’t be worried if her teacher took a slower pace during those first couple weeks to really teach her how to follow the class procedures and rules. That would benefit her so much more in the long run. You guys do some awesome things and your enthusiasm carries over to their learning. I hope your first week goes as smoothly as possible. 🙂
I can’t refrain from commenting! This is my second year teaching 3’s, and I made so many mistakes last year because I was clueless about the first week of school. My expectations were way too high, and I missed valuable bonding time. As I prepare to start next week, I just really appreciate this post. I just got “The Kissing Hand” from the library a few days ago. As soon as I read it, I knew it would not work for my kids! I love that you (and those who commented) gave some other great suggestions for books. I still think books are so important, but I am realistic about attention spans now. 🙂 I love the flannel board idea that was recently mentioned. My kids loved the flannel board last year. Now I’m going to search your site for more great ideas. 🙂
Thanks, Michelle! I hope you have a great second year!
Thank you for this post. I’ve agree 1000% with this post. Even when you do everything right…..you might STILL have a tough group. Doing too much just adds to your stress. 🙏🏼💗
Thank You for these tips! I’m hoping to become a teacher soon.
I totally agree! We forget how short the attention spans are at the beginning of the year (for books, directions, etc.) and how many basic skills are being introduced. I just try to remember to be in the moment and have an enjoyable, easy-going first day of school with the children, so they will too!
Absolutely!!! I usually start off with something semi-familiar such as The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. I use this series all year, so breaking out the puppet and props the first day keeps even my most wiggly, mom-missing kids pretty engaged. It’s ok NOT to have total free play like you normally do on the first day (couple of day… weeks…). My aide and I explicitly teach each center by talking about WHAT materials are available, HOW to use them appropriately, and any rules about how to take care of them appropriately… we play WITH them, and then teach how to clean up those items. We do this for EVERY center, giving them a chance to “review”previously-learned centers by doing it “on their own” while we teach more on subsequent days. Even when you have kids who have been there before, they forget over the summer! It helps TREMENDOUSLY later in the year!
I also teach how to paint on the easel, instead of your hands, where the toys are and where to put them when you are done. I usually spend the first month going over all the fun things that happen in my classroom. And I have been doing this for almost all of my 46 years of teaching.
lol, you so had me on numbers 1 & 2. I am guilty. And you are so right! I did better with the other 3. Thanks for sharing. I plan on sharing this with my new assistant teachers as well.
Thanks for the tips! I will be moving down from KG to Pre-K next year, so I am going to have to keep reminding myself that what I do the first few days of school needs to be even more simple and straight forward than what I already do with my little ones!
Those marker caps though…”Listen for the click! Okay, let’s do that 100 more times…!”
This has been so unbelievably helpful to me!!! I have worked in education for years but this coming year is my first year actually teaching my own pre-k class. This website has been such a blessing me to me!!
Thank you for this great article!
I totally agree, these are simple mistakes that many teachers allow. It is also a big mistake that teachers give too many homework, because of which children lose interest in learning. In my opinion, children should be given the freedom to choose what information they should be learn, and make it so that when they come home they want to learn something new or just relax, rather than do homework. I heard somewhere that some schools canceled their homework, and I think that this is absolutely right! Thank you for this article, I have a pair of familiar teachers, I will definitely advise this article to them.
All five points noted!
An eye-opener for sure. Please permit me to share with friends and colleagues through my page. Thank you, ma’am. 🙏🏾👍🏾
I read this to my husband because I came across your article and thought it was so funny. I’m not even a pre-k teacher, I’m a SPED teacher. I used to sub. for pre-k a lot and taught pre-k in a childcare setting.
I agree 200%!!!! I have been teaching preschool for 25 years and you are spot on. I have been teaching 3 year-old’s fir the past 15 years and it takes some of them even longer to pick up these skills. Just relax, enjoy getting to know each child, and helping them learn the ropes. That is just as important as all the “academic” stuff. I never plan much for the first week or 2 of school and what I do plan is kept very basic and simple. I want their first school experience to be a positive one; I don’t want them to be stressed over school. I love teaching preschool and I want the children to love it, too!
It took me two years to learn this lesson. My first year was crazy due to too much on shelves. I also did the school tour. Yes, The Kissing Hand was my first day book. Great book, but better for later in the year. Wish I had read this before that disastrous first year!
I found What Color is Your Underwear on EBay!! YAY!
It took me two years to learn this lesson.