Thinking about the first day of school brings back fond memories. I say it brings back fond memories because I have been out of the classroom for more than a decade. For me, the first day of school marks new beginnings, new connections, and endless possibilities. In my first teaching job, I was a 6th-grade social studies teacher working in a departmentalized system; however, we spent the first day of school with our homeroom classes. Please keep this in mind as you read my reflections.
On the first day, I remember standing in front of my classroom, looking at my bright-eyed students, as they anticipated the day to come. The day began with me giving my students an overview of my background and what they should expect from my class.
Afterward, we played several icebreaker activities that forced students to get out of…
