The First Six Weeks of School: From Responsive Classroom

2nd Edition 2015

If you’ve been thinking about purchasing The First Six Weeks of School as a resource to help you succeed as a new teacher, use the summary and key ideas provided below as a preview before you buy.

“The Responsive Classroom is an evidence based way of teaching that offers practical strategies for bringing together social-emotional and academic learning throughout the day. The approach is associated with greater teacher effectiveness, higher student achievement, and improved school climate.” -The First Six Weeks of School

According to The Responsive Classroom, the 4 Key Areas of Teaching are:

Offering engaging academics

Building a positive community

Effectively managing the classroom

Matching instruction to students’ developmental strengths and needs

The First Six Weeks of School gives excellent ideas for building community, creating academic routines, setting a positive tone for learning, and how to respond to misbehavior. 

Sample schedules are provided for all grades K-6 for the first day of school and the first six weeks. Usable and easy to implement classroom activities are given that foster classroom community and build upon each other as students learn expectations, rules, and classroom procedures.

A brand new teacher will likely have a grade level team of colleagues to use as resources for traditional schedules and activities for the first six weeks of school.  For a new teacher that does not have the benefit of a grade level team, or is looking for unique ideas, this book is a great resource.

Aside from the sample schedules and lesson activities, ideas and strategies are given for classroom set-up and classroom management, as well.

If you are looking for a guide specific to the first six weeks of school with activity and lesson ideas specific to grade level groups (K-2, 3-4, and 5-6) then this is the resource for you!

For a FULL SCHOOL YEAR worth of ideas, strategies, and content access the How to Teach Elementary School series.

KEY IDEAS from THE FIRST SIX WEEKS OF SCHOOL:

From Responsive Classroom