At the beginning of each new year all teachers begin to contemplate many issues they will face on the first week of the school year as they meet and greet their new children that they will be closely bounded with for the year

At the beginning of each new year all teachers begin to contemplate many issues they will face on the first week of the school year as they meet and greet their new children that they will be closely bounded with for the year. One of the teachers main concerns focuses around creating the right boundaries and environment. This teaches the students at the very beginning of the year the routine of the classroom, and the teachers rules and behaviour management that they should be expecting throughout the consistency of the year.

One of the most effective ways to create a positive classroom climate and environment is to have a bright, fun and engaging classroom set up. This can involve having colour posters around the room, a games play area with board games and other fun activities, birthday charts to show an interest in the students personal lives, pictures of cartoon characters the class age group would be interested in ( this shows interest in their personal lives). This way when the students walk into their classroom their perceptions of a boring dull classroom will be transformed into interest, excitement and above all a positive attitude to the classroom. The Dimensions of Learning also clearly states the importance of a sense of comfort and order in classroom for students, so they feel safe in their classroom which can impact students learning, happiness at school and concentration during class lessons. (DOL Manual 2nd edition 1997 ?)

The next critical step the teacher needs to take is creating boundaries, rules and consequences when they are been over stepped or ignored by the students. It is highly important that the students gain respect for their teacher at the beginning of the year and learn that the teacher is in authority and not the students, which can very well happen to the teachers dismay. The best way to handle this topic is make sure the students still feel they are involved and that it isn抰 all the teachers decisions. This can be done by having a whole class discussion about what the rules of the classroom should be, what the consequences should be if disobeyed. This then creates a positive attitude in behaviour management, as the students feel they have contributed to making the classroom a safer place that they happy to learn safely in. After the behaviour management skills have done it is always important to right down a little motto for the whole class, how they want to sum up their time and any visitors time in the classroom. Some ideas are, happy, safe learning place. Our playful learning home. Etc.

On top of all this it is also important for the teacher to add in any extra management instructions in the first week too. For early childhood classes there are a few ways to make behaviour management continuously positive throughout the duration of the year. Making a STOP sign, you can show the students the stop sign and tell them that when they see the teacher holding up the stop sign they need to stop, be quiet and look at the teacher. A bell is always the best for noisy classroom tasks, when the students here the bell they need to stop, look at the teacher and be quiet as well. Another strategy is having a marked area on the floor, when the teacher stands on the mark they need to do as above as well. The incentive for the students to do this promptly is a prize at the end of each day or week, depending on the behaviour of the students. Pick one to two students each time you do this at the beginning of the week and get them to right down their names and place it in the box. When a name is drawn from the box that person will win a prize, soon as students see a fun toy they have one they will soon be wanting one as well.

These few ideas will begin the year off smoothly for teachers and allow them to place their authority over the classroom and students while still keeping positive attitudes and perceptions.