Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Miss Stephens Doesn't Live in Room 37


On the first day of school, we already know so much about our students.  Imagine what it’s like for them. They may have heard of us but in most cases they don’t know anything about their new teacher. How discomforting that must be! To help alleviate the anxiety, I present a board about me. It sounds narcissistic but I’m not sharing it with the staff or taking it to a meeting with the superintendent. (Wouldn’t that be funny though?) It simply helps my students get to know me in a short amount of time and clears up the misconception that teachers live at school. (You can read Miss Malarkey Doesn’t Live in Room 10 as a fun way to introduce your board.) Even their parents enjoy looking at the board at Back to School Night!


To make one yourself, use a small bulletin board or a sturdy piece of cardboard or poster board. You could also use a little section of your chalkboard if you need to. Think about activities you do, things you love and interesting facts about your life. Use photographs, clip art, stickers and colored or decorative paper. If you are a traveler like I am, the maps with pins to show where you’ve been are always a big hit. Michaels, A.C. Moore and Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store, have a large variety of sticker collections for hobbies, vacations and home activities. The board stays out for a couple of months and when I put it away I always get lots of complaints!  



Ann Marie

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