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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