The first week of school can feel overwhelming—like there’s a mountain of things to teach. Take a deep breath. You will get to it all, AND you’ll finish the week feeling confident and accomplished. To help you start strong, we’re narrowing it down to the 10 most important things to teach during the first week. You’ll walk away with a simple, prioritized list—and a helpful freebie to make your year run smoothly!
Before we dive in, remember: this week is all about building relationships, setting expectations, and practicing procedures. And don’t forget to have fun! You only get one first week—let’s make it count.
#1 – Teach Hand Signals the First Week of School
Right away, help students learn to meet their needs without disrupting the flow of learning. Additionally, teaching nonverbal cues early empowers students to communicate confidently, while keeping your classroom running smoothly. Start teaching these from day one and help students master this simple form of communication for an stress-free year!
#2 – Teach Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
We all know how chaotic and overwhelming these two specific times of the day can be. Use an arrival and dismissal checklist to alleviate some of this chaos. When students arrive for the day, they will know exactly what to do. This structure helps students take care of morning responsibilities and works no matter when students arrive. Learn more about making mornings marvelous HERE!
Similarly, the afternoon routine needs structure. Because there’s a lot to manage at the end of the day, providing students with a clear process helps keep things smooth. In addition, calming activities like a read-aloud or soft music can create a peaceful close to the day.
#3 – Use a Visual Schedule the First Week of School
How often can students ask, “When is lunch?”, “What time do we leave?” during the first weeks of school? I’ll tell you, the answer is an endless amount! Until students learn their new routine, they want to know EVERYTHING. Visual schedules can help students, and us teachers, stay on track! Never hear schedule questions again with their daily visual schedule posted. The visuals help support students who aren’t reading yet and it’s a great tool for everyone to see. Subsitute teachers love them too!
Editable Daily Visual Schedule
#4 – Teach How to be a Good Teammate
Right from day one, collaboration and teamwork are essential to a well-run classroom. From the start, setting this foundation becomes one of your most powerful tools. Moreover, team-building activities help students see the value of working together and foster a strong classroom community. Learn about more of our favorites HERE!
#5 – Use Classroom Helpers the First Week of School
How do you feel about classroom jobs? I find them to be overwhelming to keep up with. However, having jobs for students helps them take responsibility for the classroom. So, how can we incorporate jobs without the upkeep? Classroom Helpers! Choose a classroom helper or two for the week, and they do ALL the jobs. Everyone still has a chance to participate weekly, and YOU have less to do. Give it a try and I promise you won’t go back! You can grab it FREE below!
#6 – Teach with Visual Directions
Like the visual schedule, visual directions help support students, especially at the beginning of the year. Show students exactly what they need for each activity, as well as each of the steps needed to complete the activity. You’ll save your voice and stress from repeating directions or having students ask what materials they need.
#7 – Teach Call and Responses the First Week of School
Attention getters are a MUST when appropriately taught. Let’s be honest, nothing quiets a noisy class faster than a good callback. Because of that, they’re a must for the first week. Choose a few easy ones and teach them clearly—perhaps just one on the first day. After all, the way you introduce them sets the foundation for their success all year long.
When you use a callback, make sure that students stop what they are doing, put their eyes on you, and their voices are quiet. Do that process over and over again to ensure the callbacks are effective. If you don’t, the call and responses won’t hold weight for the year. You can always change out call and responses throughout the year too as a way to keep students on their toes! Check out a few of our favorites below:
Teacher says: Mac and cheese
Students say: freeze!
Teacher says: Peanut Butter
Students say: Jelly Time!
Teacher says: Flat Tire
Students say: shhhhh! *noise of air deflating from tire*
#8 – Teach School Supplies Expectations
School supplies are an essential tool and yet can also be a headache to deal with. Students must learn how to use their supplies properly during the first week of school so they last through the rest of the year. Spend time teaching students what each supply can and cannot be used for. Then of course it’s time to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Just like with call and responses, don’t let anything slip that first week. Keep expectations high and your students will shine!
#9 – Solving Conflicts the First Week of School
Teaching conflict resolution in the classroom is essential for creating a positive, peaceful learning environment. When students know how to handle disagreements and solve problems respectfully, it reduces disruptions and fosters better communication among peers. This skill not only helps students manage their emotions, but it also encourages teamwork and empathy, which are critical for building strong classroom relationships.
By teaching conflict resolution early on, you’re equipping students with tools they’ll use both inside and outside the classroom. As a result, you’ll notice smoother, more productive days where students are better able to focus on learning because they know how to resolve issues independently. Empowering students with conflict resolution skills helps build a supportive, harmonious classroom culture which I think is what we all want. Learn more HERE!
#10 – Use Logical Consequences the First Week of School
Often, teachers share their frustration about the lack of follow-through from admin or parents. When that happens, I recommend Logical Consequences. With this approach, you can respond to behavior in real time—no outside support needed. They’re clear, purposeful, and make a real impact. It’s also important to begin utilizing them in your classroom from day one so students know exactly what their expectations are and it becomes a natural part of the classroom.
Feeling excited? Maybe a little unsure about what to tackle next? No worries—because I’ve got your classroom management completely covered! With this jam-packed bundle, you’ll walk into your classroom from day one with confidence. Not only will you get detailed lesson plans, visuals, and checklists, but also everything you need for a smooth, successful start. Grab the deeply discounted Classroom Management Bundle below!
Classroom Management Growing Bundle
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Top 5 Classroom Management Hacks
10 Classroom Mangement Must Haves
Daily Slides: The Must Have Tool for Seamless Classroom Management
I really hope you enjoyed learning more about must have classroom management tools and strategies to utilize in your classroom the first week of school! Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list! Not only will you get the most up to date tips, tricks, and classroom projects… and of course more fun FREEBIES including the Classroom Helper FREEBIE! You will also have exclusive access to tons of digital how to videos! If you would like to learn about this and other things happening in my classroom follow me @sweetnsauerfirsties on Instagram.
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