Starting School Right: How Do I Plan For A Successful First Week In My Classroom? (ASCD Arias), March/2016

Packed with ideas for both new and veteran teachers of K–8 students, this book touches on a variety of topics that are especially relevant to the first week of school. The author provides critical information that includes arranging and navigating the classroom, setting basic expectations, communicating routines, and understanding your students’ needs. Plus, you’ll see how these efforts actually work in the classroom as the author shares experiences, anecdotes, and quick tips. You’ll gain new insight into how these fundamentals support an authentic, effective, and thorough plan for the first week of school and set the stage for a successful year for students, parents, and teachers.

About the Author:

Otis Kriegel, an elementary and middle school teacher for more than 15 years, has taught in dual language (Spanish/English and German/English), monolingual, and integrated coteaching classrooms. He has taught in public schools in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berlin, Germany. He has an M.S. Ed. in Bilingual Education from the Bank Street College of Education, was adjunct faculty at the Steinhardt School at New York University, and a guest lecturer at the Bank Street College. Kriegel's first book, Everything a New Elementary School Teacher REALLY Needs to Know (But Didn't Learn in College) (Free Spirit Publishing, 2013) was inspired by the program he created, How to Survive Your First Years Teaching & Have a Life, which he has given to preservice, new, and veteran teachers as well as principals, administrators, and coaches. He continues to lecture at universities, teacher education programs, K–8 schools, and major educational conferences. To contact Kriegel or for more information about speeches, programs, workshops, and other publications.