Just like a football coach scripts the first few plays of a game, you can script the first 20 minutes of your classroom, and in this episode, we’re walking you through exactly how to do that. We’re sharing our top first day of school teacher tips, including five essential goals to guide your opening moments: how to greet students, which procedure to teach first (hint: not your attention signal!), and how to keep students calm and engaged while you handle behind-the-scenes tasks. These practical strategies will help you kick off the year with confidence, clarity, and a classroom that feels warm and welcoming from the start!

Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/first-day-of-school-teacher-tips/

Resources:

• Pattern Block Activity Mats
• Lego Activity Mats
• First Day of School Lesson Plan Guide
• Back to School Brain Breaks
• Laurel Denise Portrait Week + Month planner
• Join the Teacher Approved Club!
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 98, 5 Reasons Your Attention Signal Isn’t Working and How to Improve It
• Episode 209, The Most Important Back-to-School Prep No One Talks About
• Episode 211, The 3 Questions Every Student Needs Answered in the First 3 Days of School
• Episode 213, 6 Simple Goals to Make Open House or Back-to-School Night a Success

If your brain is spinning with classroom setup and first week plans, this can’t-miss classic is the perfect episode to bring some calm to the chaos. In it, we walk you through our simple 3-list approach to planning an intentional and impactful first week of school. From scheduling fixed and hinge events, to using the ATTABOY framework to align your goals, to prepping time fillers and writing a flexible script, you’ll walk away with a clear path forward and the confidence to start strong!

Prefer to read? Grab the original episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/plan-your-first-week-of-school/

Resources:

• Back to School Readiness Checklists
• First Day of School Planning Guide and Lesson Plan
• First Day of School Pattern Block Activity Mats
• First Day of School Lego Activity Mats
• Guided Discovery: Introducing School Tools
• Join the Teacher Approved Club!
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 148, How to Build Positive Relationships with Your Students at Back-to-School
• Episode 145, Our Best Tools for First-Day Planning
• Episode 140, 8 Steps to Craft a Perfect Daily Schedule for Your Elementary Classroom
• Episode 73, 4 Reasons Why Affirming Students Is The Most Important Goal for Back to School

Back-to-school season is here, and that means it’s time to tackle one of the most nerve-wracking events of the year: open house! In this episode, we’re sharing a strategic, stress-free approach to help you skip the Pinterest overwhelm and focus on what really matters. You’ll learn six essential goals for a successful open house, how to use simple stations to create a welcoming and engaging environment, and why this event is more about connection than perfection. Let’s turn open house into a moment of belonging for students, families, and you.

Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/open-house/

Resources:

• Open House/Back-to-School Night Resource
• First Day Wishing Star Kit
• Cluedle
• Oh Happy Dani Classroom Posters
• Join the Teacher Approved Club!
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 205, Use This One-Hour Teacher Trick to Start the School Year Calm and Ready
• Episode 207, No Class List? No Problem - Here’s What to Prep While You Wait
• Episode 209, The Most Important Back-to-School Prep No One Talks About
• Episode 211, The 3 Questions Every Student Needs Answered in the First 3 Days of School