First Week of School Teacher Tips!

[@bratcad]

I truly enjoy your videos; as a 7th grade ELA (and former history) teacher, I love to hear what others are doing in their classrooms. On the first day of school at the end of every class period, I have students write one question they want to ask me---it can be about my class, the school, or about me personally (as long as it's within reason). I put their questions in a bucket, and throughout the week I draw 2-3 questions every day to answer. I sometimes turn the questions back on the students so I can get to know them better, too. Tomorrow ends our first week of school. I'm exhausted but have had an awesome week! Good luck to you and other teachers ready to go back.

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

bratcad Oh my gosh, that is SUCH a cute idea! I am definitely stealing it. Thank you for such a good suggestion! And happy Friday!

[@berenicemartinez9238]

Great tip🤗👍🏼

[@tpsu129]

Why the switch from History to ELA?

[@ziamalik7139]

You are amazing Megan! Your ideas are so helpful!!

[@meghansanchez8513]

Thank you sooo much! This was very helpful!

[@meganmcmills3556]

You are so great! Thank you for giving such GREAT specific examples!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@anerdwhowritesessays9931]

I honestly LOVE essays. I'm in 7th grade. I have no idea, why someone wouldn't do an essay!

[@TheMalaysianInvasion]

God, I love your sternness.

[@lissettezelaya9905]

Starting my first job as a teacher this Monday for 6, 7 and 8th grade ELA (3 lesson plans per day😩) It seems that you tube is saturated with elementary blogs but so little to nothing substantial for middle school. So, thank you soooooo much 🙏🏽 I truly appreciate your videos and am So grateful for your channel. Also love that you get specific not just throwing things out there where we're like "great idea but how do I do that or where can I find it?" Please do more! Keep em coming 🙌

[@BlackRoze29]

So so so happy I found you. I start my first teaching job for 8th grade ELA in a few weeks and as it gets closer I've been freaking out more and more (even though I know I know my stuff). There isn't very much out there to be found specifically about middle school. You've given me so many ideas to help me flesh out what ideas I've had floating around my head for years. Thank you so much!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Yay! You are, like, the exact person I make videos for! :) Good luck this year!

[@kaniatucker7547]

I'm approaching my second year as a drama/film middle school teacher and your page is GOLDEN! So happy to have found your page!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Hey Kania! :)

[@casherson]

I love the idea of the syllabus scavenger hunt. I am definitely going to try that this year. :-)

[@stacologist]

Love these videos! Thanks for posting :) happy first week of school!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

stacologist Thanks so much! :)

[@8cme8]

I've been binge watching you since I found you! So nice to have tips from a teacher on youtube that isn't from 2008. Hah! I'm on the hunt for my first teaching job. Thanks for posting! Please keep doing it!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

+8cme8 Haha, thank you! Best of luck on your job hunt! It's so stressful, but I hope you find the perfect position!

[@kirstencosta7309]

I love your videos!!!!

[@ashleymiller5722]

Best video! I totally just downloaded the remind app and I can't wait to try it :) This will be my first year of teaching and I really enjoyed all of you tips. I'm stressing out a bit about the first week... Also, I can't wait to see your classroom! I hope you put a video up of that soon!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Ashley Tasler Good luck, good luck! It's like terrifying/super exciting on the very first day, but you'll do great! I'm working on a classroom tour video, but I think I'll wait to finish it until the kids make their little banners :)

[@ashleymiller5722]

+toocoolformiddleschool blog (toocoolforschoolblog) Thank you :) I am super excited too and I have been decorating and prepping all summer, but I still need some posters and bulletin borders lol I just added you on snapchat, so I can't wait to see what your classroom looks like on there too! Keep making the great videos, they are much appreciated!

[@berenicemartinez9238]

Love these ideas!! Will try these

[@LadyMckinley]

Thanks for sharing all of these helpful tips!!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

You're very welcome!

[@andylm7187]

I had the same idea with the banners! I was going to put brads on each corner and put them over the windows with ribbon. I teach 7th grade so I might need to make my "about me" a little less elementary school.

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Andrea Parkins Yeah, there's a fine line with middle schoolers and some of those cute elementary things on TpT. Sometimes I'm just like, suck it up, we're gonna pretend we're in Kindergarten today! lol

[@brittneylyntalks]

This is so helpful for me as I prepare to student teach!

[@latoyabolt9459]

I like ur vids. They are helpful, practical. Keep sharing with the rest of us! God bless!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Thanks Latoya! :)

[@perlanavarrolewis]

This great! Thank you!! I can't wait to start my first teaching job in August :)

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

+Perla Navarro Lewis Best of luck in your first job! :)

[@liassouthernclassroom2493]

I just got my first classroom and I will also have an assistant teacher in my class at all time and need some tips on how to place everything considering she will need her station to work in.

[@kooktino2]

Love your videos! Thanks for all the tips! Just downloaded the app hoping my parents participate. I'm glad I'm not the only teacher who loses their mind when a kid shows up without a pencil! 😝

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

kooktino2 we need a support group! haha!

[@allisonwilson7551]

Thanks for the concrete advice! I'm entering my first year teaching K-4 special Ed, and I did my student teaching in 7th grade, so I'm having trouble coming up with ideas for the little ones. Your videos and Instagram are very inspiring to me! I love your compassion and dedication to your students. #goals

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Allison Wilson Awww how exciting! My mom is a special ed teacher, so I am a fan :) Good luck this year!

[@LizSpaetzel]

The remind app looks great. I may start using this in the classes I teach.

[@pattersonteach]

Remind is a great app. Hope to get more parent participation this year. plan to have info readjust open house for parents who are able to attend. love your channel.

[@renukavig6411]

J Patterson can I have the link to this app please

[@TheSpiritofAustria]

Omg, never realized how different the US school system is to ours... Really appreciate your advice! Will totally do something like this next year!

[@yvonnecornelis5484]

Your video gave me more information and ideas to use for the new school year. I will be starting my 2nd year teaching in a few days and still had concerns about the first few days should go. Do I stress behavior expectations before syllabus? I'm a special education teacher and some things will not apply but I appreciate your video. Thanks!

[@Heymandini]

Such an informative video!! I am going to be starting teacher program in two weeks and I am so excited yet so nervous. I attended a teacher orientation this past week and we learned a lot of things. I guess Hawaii has alot of different standards than the mainland. Anyways, its very overwhelming just thinking about the amount of work that you have to put in but very exciting knowing that I'm gonna be on this whope new journey!!!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

That's so exciting! I know a few people who taught in Hawaii and yes, it definitely seems like they have a unique system. That sounds amazing though! Good luck!

[@1lauramozingo2]

I’m a first year teacher and I got a call back for a job. The principal told me he will know at noon today if I’m needed. School starts in 2 days. Back to school is tomorrow. I also have 3 kids, high school, kinder and toddler 😫 I am STRESSING!!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Good luck, I hope you got it!

[@kaylac8278]

Loved your video, such great ideas! This will be my second year of teaching and I agree with you I am still trying to figure out what I am doing! I downloaded the app, hope that helps get my parents involved. I was looking for the link to your syllabus scavenger hunt to, is it on this page? Also I bought the syllabus on TPT but its pretty plain, how did you do your with cute eye catching boxes? Thanks for sharing Meg, love following your posts!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Kayla C The syllabus scavenger hunt I just made myself since it is so specific to my procedures, but feel free to copy any thing you like! The syllabus on TPT is in PowerPoint form and it has about 30 slides, so to get to the option I chose you have to scroll almost to the bottom slide. Good luck with this second year, I hope it's awesome!

[@kaylac8278]

toocoolformiddleschool blog Thanks for getting back to me Meg! Love seeing your ideas, they help a lot :) I clicked on your link above, but it doesn't give me slideshow its one Microsoft word document. So it only shows one syllabus. hmm I wrote and asked the seller, and she said its just the one file. I am not the best with tech. do you think if I dragged it into powerpoint it would give me more options?

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Kayla C Hmmm, that's so odd, it seems like the seller must have changed the file. I'll see if I can find something similar and link it...

[@kaylac8278]

Thanks your awesome. :) I use syllabus' a lot and that template would be wonderful! :)

[@malvinekrengele9367]

Hey! Greetings from Latvia! Just watched your video and jumped off my chair in the moment, when I heard a name of our country! Have a nice day!:)

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Wow! Hello in Latvia!!

[@lokidokie3174]

I appreciate this vid so so much! I'm a first year teacher, about to begin 4-6 grade Literacy 😬

[@daniellelove1373]

This video is so helpful

[@HotforTeaching]

This is a fantastic video! I also have a couple of videos that I created to help new teachers the first day of school. You really touched on many things I did not and I am inspired to change up my activities for my first day. 👍👍👍👍

[@terrahenry3]

Hi there! You are my biggest inspiration for this school year. Thank you for sharing EVERYTHING! You're amazing! Do you have a link for your syllabus scavenger hunt?

[@terrahenry3]

Terra Henry Never mind, I realized you typed it up! No worries! Do have a link for the behavior management powerpoint and/or video?

[@andylm7187]

Where do you find those cute shapes for the syllabus? The one on TpT is plain boxes. I bought it to edit, but I have no idea where to start to find those cute text boxes!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Andrea Parkins Someone else also mentioned that the file isn't the same anymore :( I'll contact the seller and let her know that people want it and see if she can fix it!

[@andylm7187]

+toocoolformiddleschool blog (toocoolforschoolblog) Thanks for doing that!

[@JennaMeowLifestyle]

I'd love to see your behavior expectations PowerPoint presentation. Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

+Jenna Meow I'd be happy to share! I just have to figure out how to do a split screen in iMovie and then I totally will! :)

[@jnhxx]

Your hair is beautiful! How did you get it like this?

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Thank you, that's so sweet! I have a curly hair products video if you're interested where I explain it :)

[@yellowbeachgirl]

Can you do a syllabus for 1st grade or what would be similar to this?

[@kelseyt.7424]

I'm a new 8th grade history teacher (starting in August!) and I am very interested in your timeline idea! Can you provide a link to that? Thanks!

[@DabulLee]

I love your videos! You said you use a timeline for higher grades (instead of the 'all about me'), did you do it yourself or did you find it on TptT? (if so, can you give the link?) I teach EFL in France and I'll have students who are between 13 and 15, so I'm not sure they'd like the bunting sheet even though I absolutely love it!!! =) Anyways, keep making videos, I love your enthusiasm!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

DabulLee Hi there! For the timeline I just have my students chart 10 events on a long sheet of paper, starting with their birth, and ending with one event in the future (like graduate from high school, go to college, whatever they want). I have 8th graders for history and they seem to usually skip over timelines whenever they see them in the textbook, so I try to teach them how you can convey information in the form of a timeline :)

[@Abc123gal]

great ideas - just bought a sub. to flocabulary - can you talk about how you use it in your class?

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Karen Wehling Check out the tests that accompany each video. I just use them as worksheets and have the students test themselves after we watch the videos a few times. I wrote a blog post about it a while back, too. I can't really remember what I said, but you could check it out! Haha

[@Abc123gal]

Okay, thanks!

[@pattersonteach]

is your templAte for your syllabus on your website.

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

J Patterson There's a link to it in the info bar that will take you right to it! ;)

[@jackietosh]

Even though they know all of the answers, I think it would be a good idea to provide a copy for parents and students because they can easily forget. Especially since you're keeping the signed worksheet.

[@Cbug7997]

Thanks so much for sharing this! It makes me excited to have my own 'first day' next year. :-) Also, any chance you would do a room tour? (I totally understand if not! Just thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.) PS: Have a great first week!

[@Cbug7997]

Oops! I just read below that you are. Yay!

[@aprillavai6679]

I am a brand new teacher! #ThankYou! :-)

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

+April LaVai You're very welcome! And good luck!

[@chasingsuns3ts]

did you draw that "mistakes are proof that you are trying" picture? You should sell them! HAha I would totally buy one. It's so pretty!

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

+amber brighden I wish! I colored it, but I got the outline from www.doodle-art-alley.com/ It's such a fun site!

[@Kwishably]

Preach it, girl! Second year teacher here and I had no clue how to start the year last fall. And of course I did it wrong (#learningexperience) and struggled mightily the rest of the school year. I taught 6th grade last year and am moving to 4th because our district is transitioning to the middle school model. Lord, help me.

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

lol #learningexperience !

[@pastelmoonchild]

Totally off subject but is your hair naturally curly?

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Jessica Barba Lol, yep this is how it ends up when I just let it air dry. It's cray cray ;)

[@pastelmoonchild]

toocoolformiddleschool blog I have naturally curly hair too! I have watched some of your other videos and noticed that you kinda don't have time to really go full on glam to school. What's your curly hair routine like? You totally don't have to watch it but I just made a video on a curly hair routine I do before bed, my curls usually last a good 2-3 days when I do it. I haven't seen any videos on your channel about quick morning hair routines, I would totally be interested if you were to make a video like that btw.

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

Jessica Barba I'll definitely check yours out! Curly haired girls have a special bond, lol

[@FashionAplenty]

toocoolformiddleschool blog Curly hair routine please? :)

[@toocoolformiddleschoolblog]

FashionAplenty This particular look is "wash it and then let it dry" lol, but I think I'll do a video about my favorite curly hair products!

[@elakum7350]

YOOOO MY SON WAS ON CHEMO WATCHING THIS(it cured him)

[@canes3156]

Seriously,I had abc grades since 1st grade.

[@keithlong4470]

Teachers have become pawns of their union.

[@mackenzieward7796]

Am I only teacher that just gives a kid a pencil, kids are homeless, low income, I don’t know what they are going through

[@StarWarsNerdy02]

I’m shocked that American kids go to school without writing utensils. Wtf. I’ve never seen or heard of anyone doing that where I’m from.

[@catherinestalvey963]

i feel like you should realize that not every kid has parents at home that can help them,