How to Prepare for the First Two Weeks of Your Choral Program

Happy July! I hope everyone has had an amazing summer. Some of you may have just started, but mine is quickly coming to a close. My first day back is August 3, so it's time to start thinking about the new school year. I love compiling new ideas and activities, but the most important part of the school year to start preparing for is the first two weeks of school.

Why are the first two weeks so important? In my opinion, this is where you set the tone for the year. This is the time to build the foundation. How can the start to the school year be successful in your classroom? Walk into the beginning of the school year already having a plan with attainable goals. Obviously there are variables, but I truly believe and know that you and your students can have a strong start to the school year if you go above and beyond preparing for the first two weeks.

So, where do you begin? With your goals. What's the tone you'd like to set? What are the most important things you think your students should know about your class by the end of those two weeks? What do you want to have accomplished with every class by the end of the two weeks? Here are mine:

1. Getting to Know My Students

2. Introduce Myself and My Teaching Style

3. Daily Lesson Structure

4. Policies (Rules) and Procedures

5. Basic Warm-Ups and Rounds

6. Layout of the Classroom

7. Teaching the Technology

8. My Favorite Classroom Games

All of this can be done and taught at the same time. After I've decided what I want to accomplish in those first two weeks I decide how to break it down into manageable chunks. Here is an example of what I have done on the first day of school in a 45 minute class for about 5 years (note: I did not stray from this during virtual learning, just modified for that format!):

I go back and forth between setting expectations and making music. I am a FIRM believer that your students should be singing within the first 10-15 minutes of the first day. Set the tone!

Each day I am adding on little by little while reinforcing what I taught the day prior.

Depending on how your first two weeks are mapped out at your school, you should have your first 8-10 class periods planned before your students arrive. Again, of course there are variables, but the structure and the foundation you're trying to build will be there. Make adjustments as needed.

At the end of the first two weeks, I do a final activity to make sure we are all on the same page. You can find a FREE copy of 1st Quarter Behavior Expectations HERE. This is an activity I do before the beginning of any quarter. Questions are based on the events of that quarter. More on this later :)

I hope this post helps you with your beginning of the year prep!