First Day Stories
How did your students feel
about the first day of school? Find out by sending
a couple of blank sheets of paper and crayons home with each child.
to record their children's comments about the first day of school and then
illustrate their papers. Once the stories are returned to school,
tuck them away for
safekeeping. At the end of the year, you'll have all of the
information you need
for a fantastic memory book project.
School Name Tags
Cut shapes from construction paper
or purchase shape
note pads to create name tags for your children.
their name tags write children's names, their parent's
names, and children's
birth dates. Laminate all tags
so they can be reused. Write information with a
wipe-off marker or crayon. These tags can be placed on
bulletin boards or on a
section of the wall. They may
also be left up all year. Add the children's and
parent's pics and it becomes an appropriate first week of
school bulletin board.
Nifty Name Tags
Make colorful tags for desks or
table tops. Use a permanent marker
to write each child's name on brightly colored Con-Tact paper. For an
interesting effect, cut the nametags with pinking shears.
the cover in the shape of a school house. Title of the
book is The First Day
of School. Each child has a book
page in the shape of a school with the frame
is the first day of School , I want to learn all about
_____" Share each
page before you put it in the book.
Use the back page as a comment page. As
each child brings
the book home their mom or dad can write a comment on the
Classy Photo Album
It's a new school year and
what better way to familiarize family members
with their children's school friends than through a photo album.
a photo of each child; then place it in a small photo album. Send
home until each child has had a chance to share with his family members.
Decorate and label a large
plastic jar. Then, as the school year progresses,
record onto slips of paper cute quotes, responses, or memorable events
little ones share. Place the slips of paper in your memory jar.
During the final
week of school or during a graduation ceremony, share memories from the
your class help write your class rules (of course, you
will need to guide them a bit).
Once you do that,
have each child trace their hand print on colored paper.
around the rule chart. Explain that this
is the way we "sign" a pledge to follow the
Parent Survival Kit
As parents leave their little
ones at school on the first day, hand each one a sweet parting
gift. To make each gift, label a small paper bag "Survival Kit."
Inside the bag put some
Hershey's Hugs and Kisses candies along with a small travel pack of
Quick and Easy
Taking attendance has
seasonal flair with this eye-catching chart.
To make the chart, label a sheet of poster board with the title and
directions as shown; then mount it on a bulletin board. Insert
rows of pushpins (one pin for each student). Each month make
a set of seasonal nametags for your students (Sept.--apples,
Oct.--pumpkins, Nov.--turkeys, Dec.--Christmas trees, etc).
Punch a hole in the top of each nametag using a hole puncher.
Suspend each nametag from a pushpin. When students
enter the room each day, they remove their nametags
and place them in a box in a designated location. At a glance
you can see the names of the students who are absent. Have a
child return the nametags to the chart at the end of each day.
No More Jitters
Ease your youngsters'
first-day anxieties with a cuddly class mascot!
Introduce a stuffed animal to your class and pretend that he is
whispering in your ear. Reassure him that school is a fun, safe
place to be and that the children are friendly and kind. Explain to
students that your friend is feeling shy and nervous about starting
preschool. After students offer encouraging words and discuss their own
concerns and fears, have your mascot guide them through each step of
the day. It won't be long before your little ones feel relaxed and
confident about school!
Calm children's fears by
using a class mascot as a welcoming tool.
Choose a colorful stuffed animal to be your class's very special friend.
Hold the mascot as you greet youngsters on that very important day.
Seeing you with a stuffed animal is sure to create a relaxed, comfortable
atmosphere to help coax even the most reluctant students into your
Since creating a sense of ownership helps to foster feelings of security, allow
youngsters to cooperatively name the class mascot. Once a name has been
have your new friend introduce you and each of the youngsters to the class.
foster positive home school relationships by giving each child the opportunity
the mascot home for a weekend. Encourage each child's acceptance of
by having her pack a bag for the mascot that includes any necessary items
a toothbrush, a blanket, and a book) and a prepared travel log. Instruct the
complete an entry in the travel log by illustrating an event that took
place, with the
mascot, during the weekend. Include a note in the travel log asking
caregivers to participate by recording youngsters' dictation or adding some of
original writing. On Monday morning, have the child share all about
adventures with the mascot.
to Know The Teacher Box
Fill a box up
with things that tell about you sit on the rug and share
them with the class.
Be sure to bring your camera to
photograph each child at the beginning of the
school year. Collect the pictures for safekeeping and as the end of the
take another photograph. Then present each child with both pictures
on the last day of school to let her see how much she has grown.
Chalk In A Sock
If your children enjoy
using small chalkboards, try this tip for keeping chalk handy.
Buy a few white children's socks and place a stick of chalk in each one.
Place the socks in a basket near the chalkboards. The socks not
only provide storage for the chalk but they also double as erasers!
these tips home to help parents enrich their child's
to your child about going to preschool/school.
Talk about what he/she will learn there.
Talk about why we go there.
Read to your child daily.
Play learning games with your child.
Reinforce classroom, safety, and bus rules at home with
Offer to volunteer and share ideas with your child's
Ask teacher to share nutritional snack recipes with you.
Hang It Up
If you have a difficult time
keeping displays on brick or concrete walls,
then here's a tip for you. Try putting up your posters, charts,
and wall decorations with adhesive magnetic tape. Small pieces of
tape attached to the wall and the back of a decoration will hold displays
Place the items described below in a
brown lunch bag and include this handout:
The items in this bag have special meaning:
The cotton ball is to remind you that this room is full of kind words and warm
The chocolate kiss is to comfort you when you are feeling sad.
The tissue is to remind you to help dry someone's tears.
The sticker is to remind you that we all stick together and help each other.
The star is to remind you to shine and always try your best.
The gold thread is to remind you that friendship ties our hearts together.
The rubber band is to remind you to hug someone.
The penny is to remind you that you are valuable and special.
The toothpick is to remind you to "pick out" the good qualities in your
The bandage is to heal hurt feelings in your friends and in yourself.
The eraser is to remind you that we all make mistakes, and that is O.K.
The life saver is to remind you that you can come to me if you need someone to
Back To School Gift
I often give my students a little gift on the first day of
This year I am making door knob hangers (Wal-mart) with the
child's name printed on with a paint pen. I will add a theme-related
design such as a bear or an apple. I cover the wood with a coat
of glue and water (or Modge Podge) before I paint it because it is
so porous. I write the name in green, the apple is red and the
dots around the edges are green and red. I put the date on the back.
You could also do this on the white or cream bookmarks at Wal-mart and add a
Take Home Bags
All communication from the school
goes in this bag and all
communication from home comes back to school in this bag.
1 ziploc type bag per child
At the beginning of the year I assign one bag to each child. On it I write:
Take Home Bag; the child's name and Please return every school day!
I then inform the parents that I will send everything home in this bag:.
letters from me or the school; Scholastic book order forms; trip permission
sheets; monthly calendars; work from school and library books, if they
I then ask that they send all their notes, milk money, book orders, etc.,
to school in this bag. This way I know that the parents have received
everything I've sent home, and it's not lost in their child's backpack.
Parents also know that I've received their notes and items. Parents love
and I do too, because we all know where to look for any form of communication.
I use these bags in my Junior Kindergarten class
but you could use it with younger or older students.
Job Chart Ideas
Show toddlers and
preschool children their job of the week with these ideas.
Two simple ideas for job charts for 2 year olds employ a very familiar
I only have 4 jobs in my classroom. I have made a kite for each job, using
words and pictures to describe the job. I have written the name of each
child on the 'bow' that is tied to the kite tail to help it fly. Now each
knows their job. I have also set up mailboxes, similar to those found at
end of a driveway, with the name and a picture of each job. Each child's
on an envelope that I can place in the mailbox as a way to show who
has the job.
Modeling Class Rules
2 puppets, similar, but not the same.
Each year, I use my orange and purple hairy puppets to model
"good choices". Usually,
purple is the one who makes the "not so good "choices! This is fun, and
it works great with
the 4 and 5 years old youngsters. I start talking with the puppets
and they are talking to
each other. For example, playing with others. Orange will be
playing with some of the
students and Purple will come in and pull on one of the students shirts,
arm, etc. trying to
play. I then stop and I start talking as myself asking if that was a
good choice, etc. It's a
riot and the kids do offer better choices and we model the better
choice. I often catch the
students playing with the puppets during free choice, making good and not
so good choices!
the children are getting acquainted with each other and
with the classroom, try some
of the following suggestions
to make their introductions to learning centers easier.
only a few toys and educational items out in each learning
center so children
won't be overwhelmed. Gradually
add more and rotate items as the year progresses.
the classroom arranged attractively.
all displays at the children's eye level, if
possible. When setting up
your room, get on your
knees and see the room from the child's perspective.
room should be arranged so you can see all areas
classroom where the children will be interacting.
mark each learning center with the number of children who
may enter at one time.
materials and activities should be placed on a low
where they can be easily reached by the children.
fire exits clearly marked with diagrams that children will
Put up a list of classroom and safety
rules. Safety posters will help here.
Name Tag for Desk or
This self esteem preschool
activity promotes name recognition
and also helps children quickly find their desk or table.
Polaroid film (one per child),
crayons or markers,
glue or tape.
I let the kids color and decorate their picture. Put the child's name at
the top in big letters. Take a picture of each child (waving, thumbs up or
acting goofy). Glue or tape the child's picture underneath their name.
Apply to a clean dry surface and cover with clear contact paper.
They will say. "Hey, that's me" and smile!
That's My Name
Have each child use
crayons, stamps, or stickers to decorate a personalized card.
Then use the cards for daily attendance. To do this, hold up one
card at a time and
prompt (as necessary) the child whose name is showing to respond, "Here!"
each child can recognize his first name, make new cards showing students'
First Day Tips
On the first day of school,
I have a special Beary Good Work folder on each
student's desk or table, along with a new box of crayons and a basket with
pencils, an eraser, a glue stick, and a pair of Fiskars for Kids. I also
puzzles, and pattern blocks available for the children to choose from.
me time to talk with the parents and find out any important or special
their child. I usually wait at least 15 minutes after the bell rings
before I bring the children
together on the story floor, because we always have latecomers the first
few days of school.
A+ Apple Jar
Turn a little wooden pumpkin box
into this cute apple for your teacher.
It's perfect for storing thumbtacks or paper clips, and it can also be
used as a
paperweight. It's simple to paint, with minimum adult supervision. Cost is
first in line when class lines
up to leave the classroom
holds door as the rest of
classmates passes through
when leaving classroom
waters all the plants
in the classroom
helps count students for
lunch so server knows
how much to prepare
places calendar number on
calendar chart and tells
class what day it is
passes out papers to
each child in class
dust the computer
Class Pet Feeder
in charge of feeding
the class pet(s)
sweeps floor after messy
activities and meal times
helps teacher with little odds
and ends jobs in classroom
holds the flag and begins
the Pledge of Allegiance
Nap Time Helper
assists teacher in patting
backs at naptime.
checks to see that chairs
are pushed in, pencils/papers
are straight before we leave
to make sure
they are properly cleaned
up at the end of centers
responsible for observing
weather and recording
it on weather graph
makes sure classroom
books are put away
properly, spines out
runs things to office, notes
to other teachers, etc....
they must travel as a pair
cleans tables for
and after messy art projects
doors behind us and is last in line
straightens puzzle shelves and
More Classroom Helper Ideas
The classroom helper jobs
that help me the most and surprisingly the kids
like to have are my "center captains". Each center has a captain, like
Block center captain, writing center captain, etc. and those kids are
responsible for making sure the centers are cleaned up the way I want them.
The kids who were playing there help, or if I notice that a center needs
I will ask for that captain to get some helpers and clean it up. They
pride in it, it helps make them responsible for OUR classroom and I
to spend alot of time policing it as the year goes on, and things
generally stay neat, like I like them!!!:)
A quick phone call made to
each child before the first day of school does wonders
for easing back to school worries. During your brief conversation
tell the child how
excited you are to have him in your class. Also tell him what you'll
when he sees you for the first time, so he can spot you right away.
This is sure to be a phone call your preschoolers won't forget.
~ LINKS ~
(Please let me know if any of
these links do not work! THANKS!)
Pre-K Fun Back To School Quilt Rack
Back To School Ideas at Teaching Heart
Back To School Ideas at Kinder Korner
Back To School Activities at Enchanted Learning
Back To School at ABC Teach
Back To School at Mrs. Petersen's Preschool Page
Back To School at Child's Play
Back To School Ideas at Step By Step Child Care
Back To School Ideas at KinderKorner
Back To School Ideas at Alphabet Soup
Back To School at the Virtual Vine
Welcome to School at Mrs. Pohlmeyer's Kinder Page
Back To School Ideas at Mail Just For Me
Back To School Activities at Childfun
Back To School at Preschool Education.com
Back To School at the Teacher's Corner
Going Back To School at KidsHealth.org
Back To School Activities at Gayle's Preschool Rainbow
Back To School Survival Kit
Back To School Ideas at Hummingbird Educational Resources
Back To School Ideas at Teacher Vision
Back To School at Inside the Nook
Back To School Printables at Billy Bear 4 Kids
Back To School Freebies at Tammy's Tidbits
Back To School Craft Activities at DLTK's
More Back To School Craft Activities at DLTK's
The First Day Of School at The Learning Leap
More Great Back To School Ideas for Teachers
Back To School Crafts at Home School Zone
Back To School Ideas at First School
School Days at Crafts For Kids
Back To School With Brown Bear
Back To School Resources 4 Teachers
Back To School Crafts at Family Fun
Back To Preschool Theme Ideas
Back To School Crafts at Kids Domain
Educational Crafts at Kids Domain
Back To School at Mrs. Williamson's
Back to School Arts & Craft Ideas at IVillage
Back To School Printables at PrintFree.com
Back To School Crafts at Making Friends
School Bus Activity Sheet
Back To School Writing Paper
Time For School Mini Book
What is the
role of the teacher?
The early childhood teacher
holds several roles.
The teacher must love all of her children and treat them
as equal but special individuals, thus she is a mother.
The teacher must ask thought provoking questions and
encourage exploration and investigation, thus she is a scientist.
The teacher must sing loud and proud, even if
she can not carry a tune, thus she is a musician.
The teacher must encourage children to use their
words and talk out their feelings, thus she is a mediator.
The teacher must run, hop, jump, skip, and
tumble with the children, thus she is a gymnast.
The teacher must share accounts of far away lands
and imaginary people, thus she is a storyteller.
The teacher must bandage scraped knees
and kiss "ouchies", thus she is a nurse.
The teacher must give words of encouragement, louder and
stronger than anyone thought possible, thus she is a cheerleader.
The teacher must listen with open ears
and an empathetic heart, thus she is a friend.
The teacher does not entertain, dictate, police, referee, lecture,
demolish, or judge. The teacher is a facilitator, enabler,
encourager, organizer, nurturer, backer, advocator, and supporter.
The early childhood teacher holds several roles,
each different in action, but equal in importance.
To teach is to touch a life. And that is what the most important role of
the teacher is.
Top Ten Reasons
To Become A Preschool or ECE Teacher
Cute little children, cute little ...paycheck.
2. Confidence that you will never, ever forget how to count to ten.
3. Attention Span ... do they have one?
4. Shoes that untie themselves.
5. Get to sing your favorite songs over, and over, and over.
6. With all this bending over, who needs aerobics?
7. Play, play, play.
8. Classroom art proudly displayed in kitchen galleries.
9. Small hands ... LARGE CRAYONS.
10. You alone make little ones count.