Welcoming New Students (Reflection Week 11)

Transitioning, no matter how old someone is, is difficult.  In the fourth grade, I moved to a new state and a completely new school.  I remember being nervous, uncomfortable, and lonely that first day and first week of school.  Looking back on that time, I can sympathize with how students who transition into my class from another school must feel.  When students join a classroom mid-year, there is already an established classroom environment and atmosphere.  Looking for ways to make the transition easier for these students and ease them into the classroom culture is an important job of the teacher and fellow students.

At my school, there is quite a bit of transience in the clientele.  For this reason, helping new students adjust to school is an important part of the teachers’ jobs.  Preparing the class beforehand, allows the students to be apprised of the arrival of a new student and to welcome them warmly.  In second grade, these students are always looking for new friends and playmates so the addition of a new student rarely causes a problem and is more a cause for excitement.  By preparing a desk, a book box, and journals for my new student ahead of time I can ease that transition by helping them be prepared for different classroom activities.  By assigning a certain student to be the new student’s “buddy” that helps them through the day, the new student can form instant connections and have an example to follow in the classroom.  Having a class meeting in which the class members share the classroom guidelines with the new student will help both introduce these to the new student as well as reinforce them in the classroom.  These are just a few ways to help a new student transition, but they focus on two important things: being prepared and being welcoming.

The role of the teacher is essential in preparing for a new student, especially with materials.  However, the class members have the abilities to be the most influential as they welcome a new student into their classroom culture.  As the teacher, the best thing I can do for a new student is to prepare the current students to be welcoming and outgoing toward the new student and trust that my students will provide a warm and helpful welcome.