Armstrong Panel

I attended the Armstrong Panel on September 26 about setting up your classroom for the first day of school. The panel consisted of nine Armstrong teachers that taught all over the state and different grade levels. All of the teachers had their own personal opinion on how to set up for the first day of school, but all of the teachers agreed on a few things. Organization, structure, parent relationships, and confidence were the ideas that each teacher talked about and stood out to me.

            Being organized on the first day of school helps you set up for a successful year. The more organized you are, the better the day will go. Setting up a structure on the first day of school that will be similar to the one you use on a regular school day allows students to get in a familiar rhythm which will benefit them as well as yourself in the long run. Parent relationships should also be made early in the year. This helps you get to know your students and their background. It also makes it easier when having to call their parents later in the year for any circumstance that may occur. Finally, it can provide you with parent volunteers that are very beneficial. My favorite talk was the one on confidence. Eric Ambler, one of the Armstrong teachers talked on confidence stood out to me. He talked about looking confident even if you do not feel confident. Never let your student’s see you sweat is wonderful advice that I want to take with me into my future career.