New Student Checklist

When a new student enters my room there are a million and one things that have to be done for them to function in my classroom.  There are several tests that have to be done to assess level, name tags, computer log-ins, data binders they need to be put in, and so much more.

My first year of teaching I had what I like to refer to as a "revolving door" classroom.  I had the lowest number of students, so I would get the kids that were transferring in.  This isn't at all unusual, but this particular year after I got a new student I would usually lose one within the next few weeks so I always had the lowest number of students.  That year since I had students moving in and out frequently I was constantly putting together papers for new students and doing all those little tasks and contacting five or six different people in the district to get all those tasks done.  I was always forgetting something though and I had no system to make sure that I did everything.

After about the fourth student I suddenly became brilliant.  You ever have those moments where you want to smack yourself for not realizing there is an easier way to do something?  As I went through and did everything for the new student, I wrote down what I was doing. Name tags, bus tags, clips, binders, supplies, tests, paperwork, etc.  I compiled a checklist for my new students for everything they would need.  If they needed anything done to be in my room it went on the list.

Each year I adapt the same checklist.  At the beginning of the year, as I'm setting up my new class, I change the list to fit what I'm doing this year.  It is a huge time saver.  Now I don't forget to have them tested or not contact someone about getting them into a certain system.  They also aren't waiting on me to get them a password I forgot to set up.  It makes my life soooooo much easier.