![]() It's almost time for me to start planning out my first week of school (yes it's crazy, I go back end of July). When I first started teaching, I spent the first week reviewing the syllabus, class rules, and (duh duh duh duhhhhh) spent time reviewing all the lab safety procedures. It just felt like the responsible science teacher thing to do. What I soon realized is the students were just plain bored... or nervous about finding their next class.... or thinking about who has the same lunch period as them... but they were NOT memorizing all those nice lab safety rules I was so carefully explaining. They are also reviewing rules in almost every other class and the chances of them remembering what you said those first few days are slim. So I decided to throw the "let's front-load all the rules that they will forget anyway" out the window and find more exciting activities for that first week. I know some of you science teachers reading this are thinking "But I have to review rules the first week, because they need to sign a lab safety contract!" Yes, they do. (And if you don't have one handy, I recommend Flinn Science's contracts which you can download free here.) But is it really necessary the first few days? Here is my main argument on why you are wasting your time: Why are you teaching students to wear goggles and keep scalpels pointed down during dissections if you aren't actually getting to the dissection until April? Or why are you teaching them the proper way to carry and store a microscope when the microscopes don't come out of the cupboard until your cells unit in December? Students will just forget, and you will have to review the rules all over again anyway. Instead, wait until you get to the lab and then review the necessary rules. As far as the contract goes, have students read through it during class or at home with a parent and sign it. If they have any questions feel free to discuss them, but don't waste too much time on it. Here are a few ideas to do instead:
13 Comments
Emily
7/11/2017 01:28:44 pm
I had never thought of it this way. Good ideas. Thank you for this post.
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Becca
7/13/2017 01:21:16 pm
You're welcome! Thanks for checking out my blog!
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Melissa
7/11/2017 07:54:50 pm
Thanks for the new ideas. Teaching 8th grade and always looking for new ways to keep the students and myself from being bored.
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Becca
7/13/2017 01:21:33 pm
You're most welcome!
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Paula
7/12/2017 07:47:03 am
Yes we DO teach the best content area🤗 Good mindset for plunging in and setting up for the next year.
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Becca
7/13/2017 01:23:01 pm
Hi Tahquetta,
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Rose Scherer
7/24/2017 04:15:55 pm
I am so guilty of trying to knock out the BORING lab safety rules right away! Thanks for the great ideas. ❤️
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David W
7/29/2017 12:31:20 pm
Awesome blog post...even for non-science teachers. You never get a second chance to make a first impression in the classroom. Don't bore your students in week one. They'll never get over it! You have great advice for someone who teaches the second best subject!
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Rebecca
1/14/2018 10:31:59 am
I felt the same as you...so now I do a few slides of the Olympic symbols and how they are universal so everyone should know the sign without knowing the language...just like safety symbols! The kids have fun (I teach 7th) trying to figure out the sport! Then I review as we hit the lab during the year.
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Sarah
3/22/2018 11:47:49 am
While I agree that the first few days need to be more engaging and memorable, I try to mix the fun with the rules.
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Becca
8/25/2018 12:20:10 pm
Hi Betsy,
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