Just For Teachers - Association

You are about to start a new school year and we are sure you are ready with your planning, material and of course a BIG smile.
Now you are ready to say hello to new children. Making them feel welcome is part of our job, remember that as long as they feel happy, comfortable and self-confident they’ll learn more.

Feeling welcome is important to children it helps them adjust more easily to their surroundings. Sometimes we do things without giving a second thought, so here are some good examples of how to make them feel welcome in their first days.
First of all you can start by learning their names and by helping them learning each other names. Names are special for everyone if you say “Hello Sara” or “Hi Peter” when you walk around the classroom, it really sends a message of “ hey ! she knows my name, I´m important here, I BELONG”

The physical environment that you prepare especially for them it also sends a strong message. Think about it, how many hours do you spend working on your bulletin board? Well, know that everything that you do is important for them. A brightly colored bulletin board, maybe with their names written on it says “I´m happy you are here“. Have you ever think of allowing your children to make a special tag for their tables?

Take a few minutes to talk to each child individually, find out how many brothers they have, or if they have any pets, what they like to do, they will feel special and value as individuals, and you can be aware of their interests, this will help planning your classes.

Deciding the classroom rules is a great opportunity to make them feel part of the class, ask for their help and create a mind map using pictures of them, reinforce always positive attitudes. For example one of the rules could be “I RAISE MY HAND WHEN I WANT TO ASK OR SAY SOMETHING” use your camera and take a picture of a kid raising his hand, place the picture on the mind map, they will remember the rules easily.

Open the door of trust and mutual respect. Let them know that they belong.
Good Luck and have a nice year!

Miss Patty Giménez
pgimenez@justforteachers.com.mx
August 9, 2008.