u/G0nzo165

First year as teacher of record (Middle School SDC)

This fall will be my first year as the teacher of record in a middle school Special Day Class (grades 6-8), although I spent last year working in this same classroom as a long-term substitute. So I know the students, the school, and the routines fairly well, but this year the responsibility is officially mine.

I’m spending the summer finishing prerequisite classes, reorganizing the SDC room, reading IEPs, planning schedules, creating classroom procedures, and trying to build systems that will make the year run smoothly.

My question is:

Looking back, what is something you wish you had set up before Day 1 that made a huge difference later in the year?

It could be:

* classroom organization

* routines

* behavior systems

* paperwork

* parent communication

* working with paraprofessionals

* technology

* things that saved you hours later

* or mistakes you wish you’d avoided.

I’m less interested in “have a seating chart” and more interested in those things you didn’t realize mattered until October or November.

If you could go back and give your August self one piece of advice, what would it be?

First year as teacher of record (Middle School SDC)

This fall will be my first year as the teacher of record in a middle school Special Day Class (grades 6-8), although I spent last year working in this same classroom as a long-term substitute. So I know the students, the school, and the routines fairly well, but this year the responsibility is officially mine.

I’m spending the summer finishing prerequisite classes, reorganizing the SDC room, reading IEPs, planning schedules, creating classroom procedures, and trying to build systems that will make the year run smoothly.

My question is:

Looking back, what is something you wish you had set up before Day 1 that made a huge difference later in the year?

It could be:

* classroom organization

* routines

* behavior systems

* paperwork

* parent communication

* working with paraprofessionals

* technology

* things that saved you hours later

* or mistakes you wish you’d avoided.

I’m less interested in “have a seating chart” and more interested in those things you didn’t realize mattered until October or November.

If you could go back and give your August self one piece of advice, what would it be?

First year as teacher of record (Middle School SDC)

This fall will be my first year as the teacher of record in a middle school Special Day Class (grades 6-8), although I spent last year working in this same classroom as a long-term substitute. So I know the students, the school, and the routines fairly well, but this year the responsibility is officially mine.

I’m spending the summer finishing prerequisite classes, reorganizing the SDC room, reading IEPs, planning schedules, creating classroom procedures, and trying to build systems that will make the year run smoothly.

I have two paraprofessionals, and a 3rd who is a 1-1. All are wonderful to work with (thank god). I had a string of sub paras last year that were abysmal, so my frame of reference is good.

I’ll carry some of my stuff over from last year, but I was working in an inherited classroom design, so I’m open to any ideas or suggestions.

My question is:

Looking back, what is something you wish you had set up before Day 1 that made a huge difference later in the year?

It could be:

* classroom organization

* routines

* behavior systems

* paperwork

* parent communication

* working with paraprofessionals

* technology

* things that saved you hours later

* or mistakes you wish you’d avoided.

I’m less interested in “have a seating chart” and more interested in those things you didn’t realize mattered until October or November.

If you could go back and give your August self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Thank you.