If you don’t want to look “new,” invest a little time before pre-planning to scope out your environment. Pre-planning is usually the week before school starts, but typically, it is filled with meetings and activities, such as open house. Don’t assume that you will get much accomplished during this time.
Instead, come into work a couple of days in advance. Walk around the school. Find out the location of key places: the faculty bathroom, the student bathrooms, the lunchroom, the office, the counselor’s office, and the gym. If you are going to send students to these different places, you need to know where they are. In addition, if the secretary doesn’t look too frazzled, you may want to ask if you could get your teacher handbook. Actually, take time to read the handbook. Pay special attention to the dress code section, the daily schedule, and the school discipline policy. You may want to begin learning different teachers' names and find certain teachers' rooms--like the lead teacher and your mentor. As a new teacher, you will probably be assigned a mentor. A mentor is a more experienced teacher who can help answer your questions. A lead teacher can play many different roles, depending on the school, but usually, this person turns in all the important paperwork; therefore, it is essential you know where her room is.
If you are able to get your keys early, go ahead and set up your room. Hint: Arrange your room for your students’ learning, not necessarily for your comfort. Put up posters that will help them with the key concepts they have to learn. Make sure there is enough room between rows so that they or you don’t trip. Make a place for backpacks and early finishers. Early finishers are those students who will often finish their assignments in half the time it takes others. Make a little corner of special activities for them. If there is room, make a place for conferencing with students. If you are teaching elementary school, you may want a reading corner, a listening center, or an activity table.