Rockin' Teacher Materials: drama circles

How to Make the Move to a New Grade and Live to Tell About It

12:16 PM

Hi guys!
Yep, it's me, Hilary and I'm happy to report that I survived my move from 2nd grade to 3rd grade GT! And as much as I hate to admit it, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Here are a few things I noticed on the first day of school:

The kids intuitively know what to do when they come in!
They can actually sit down and wait for more than 2 minutes!
They don't ask you 40 questions in the first 5 minutes of the day!
They don't constantly have a boo-boo that needs a band-aid!

Bottom line . . . they aren't little kids anymore, they are just kids who know what school is about.

So, on that first day I decided I didn't want to rattle off a bunch of rules and expectations or do a bunch of 'getting to know you' activities right off the bat. I wanted the kids to 'do school' and have fun. The rules and expectations don't have to be preached and will most definitely be addressed, but not in our first hours together. Here's what we did after everyone arrived:

The kids sat in a circle and told me their names. Then, I went around the circle to say their names back to them. I got them all right on the first time around . . . as usual! LOL
We stayed in our circle and did a Drama Circle. We had so much fun being dramatic. Drama circles require the kids to actively listen, wait their turn, cooperate with classmates, and follow directions. It is a fun activity that helps them learn to be comfortable in front of their classmates in a non-threatening way. (Read more about Drama Circles by Jen Runde.) It also told me a lot about the different personalities in our class. We did a different drama circle 3 days in a row. They kids are BEGGING to do more! We will, too!
After breaking the ice, the rest of the day went as smooth as silk. We did do a few 'getting to know you' activities, but after our drama, we were all friends.

My advice to you if you are moving grades, just remember why you became a teacher in the first place:

You have a heart for kids.
You want to make a difference in the lives of kids.
You enjoy watching light bulbs go on for kids.
You actually like kids.
Kids make you smile and even laugh.
And the list goes on and on. . . No matter what admin throws at you, just remember, it's just about the kids!
Oh, and one more thing . . . you just need to stay one day ahead of the kids! LOL

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school so it's time to do some shopping! If you'd like to win a Teachers Pay Teachers $10 gift card, just in time for the ONE DAY sale at TpT. Just enter for a chance to win!