In a typical high school or middle school room, the beginning of class often looks something like this:
Students wander in from the hall. There may or may not be an opener assignment (bell ringer) but no one seems to be working on it. The teacher is at her desk, working on something of her own. Students are chatting, standing with friends, playing with their phones.
The late bell rings and Mrs Teacher jumps into action – but a battle ensues to get her students to quiet down and focus.
Have you been into a classroom like this? Does this look like your own classroom? And you are frustrated, feeling like you are wasting time (and gaining gray hairs!) at the beginning of class every day?
Do not be discouraged! With just a few tweaks, your first ten minutes of class can become your favorite ten ten minutes of the day!