A First Day of School Script

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How To Create Your Own Script

The last two first day of school scripts were each presented in June. By presenting it this time in March, this will give you time to create your own script before the present school year is completed.

If you have never organized your classroom with procedures, this is what you may want to do:

1. Decide on what one thing you would like the students to do that would start to make your classroom run smoother. Do not say to yourself, "If they would only behave this way, I would be happier." Procedures have nothing to do with behavior. Behavior falls into the realm of discipline, whereas procedures fall into the realm of classroom management. If you are not familiar with the difference between discipline and classroom management, please read chapter 20 in The First Days of School.
2. Teach that one procedure every day for a week until it becomes a routine. If you do not know how to teach a procedure, read chapter 20 in The First Days of School or read our September 2000 column, "The Problem Is Not Discipline." (teachers.net/gazette/SEP00/wong.html)
3. The following week and every week thereafter, teach another procedure.
4. Save each procedure and when school is over in the next two or three months, you will have a battery of procedures similar to those that used by John Schmidt.

Each of you, we know you have the capacity, talent, and commitment to do it and become even more successful as an effective teacher.