ABSTRACT
This brief chapter will discuss important issues associated with a teacher's first encounters with a class. Much of the subject matter will reiterate points raised elsewhere in this book. Nevertheless, first impressions last, and it is worth giving a little thought to the ways in which teachers can create the most appropriate impression in their earliest meetings with pupils. Wragg and Wood (1984a) state the situation bluntly: ‘The success or failure of a whole year may rest on the impression created, the ethos, the rules and relationships established during the first two or three weeks in September.’ Objectives
By the end of this chapter you should:
understand the importance of early meetings with a class;
know how to plan effectively and appropriately for these early meetings.
