Arthur and other thread readers,
I am so glad that Arthur found a way to share this article. It provides some interesting insight into 13 different ways to start the school year. I really enjoyed reading it. This started as a Physics listserv discussion. A new teacher wanted to know how different teachers start their school year.
Like the teacher from Greeley, CO, I am fortunate to teach at a small high school. I already know all the students that will be in my physics class this year. They were in one of my classes the previous year. We will spend a little time discussing classroom expectations, setting up their lab notebooks, and reviewing lab safety. Then I will have my students complete several stations that have them explore inertia. We will discuss what they observed the following day. I believe in some talking and lots of modeling of classroom procedures. It keeps my students engaged and sets the tone of the class.
How are others planning on starting their first day of school?