For many parents, the first day of school is more than just another date on the calendar. It is a moment to assess whether their children’s schools are truly ready for another academic year.
With schools reopening today, many school owners and management teams, particularly in the private sector, have spent the long vacation preparing to welcome back learners and attract new ones.
Some have renovated classrooms, installed new facilities, recruited teachers and upgraded their learning environments, while others have taken their campaigns into neighbourhoods, distributing flyers and promoting their schools to prospective parents.
But while schools work hard to make a good first impression, education experts say the behaviour of teachers during the crucial first week can also determine how pupils, students and parents perceive a school throughout the term.
A Lagos-based education competence and teacher-coaching institution, Visible Impact, has therefore shared eight common mistakes teachers should avoid as schools resume.
The advice, titled “8 First-Week Mistakes Teachers Should Avoid,” stresses that the opening week can set the tone for the entire term.
According to Visible Impact, what teachers do—or fail to do—in the first week can significantly influence the classroom environment and students’ learning experience.
1. Starting With Too Much Academic Work
Students are still settling into the new academic session.
Visible Impact advised teachers to give them time to adjust, reconnect with classmates, understand classroom routines and become comfortable before rushing into heavy academic work.
2. Being Too Strict From Day One
Discipline remains important, but Visible Impact cautioned teachers against creating an atmosphere where students respond out of fear rather than respect.
Teachers were encouraged to establish clear boundaries while remaining warm, approachable and fair.
3. Failing to Learn Students’ Names
For a child entering a new classroom, hearing a teacher call their name can make a significant difference.
Visible Impact said making an effort to learn students’ names demonstrates that the teacher sees and values them, while also helping to build stronger relationships.
4. Assuming You Already Know Your Students
Teachers were advised not to label students based on what they may have heard from another teacher or on an impression formed during the first day.
Every student, the institution noted, deserves a fresh opportunity to demonstrate who they are and what they can become.
5. Ignoring Classroom Routines
Students need to understand how their classroom operates.
Teachers should establish routines early, including how assignments are submitted, how students ask questions, how they move around the classroom, where they keep their materials and how they are expected to respond to instructions.
6. Talking Too Much and Listening Too Little
The first week provides an important opportunity for teachers to understand their students.
Visible Impact encouraged teachers to ask questions, listen to students’ concerns and observe how they interact with one another instead of doing all the talking.
7. Comparing Students
Teachers were advised to avoid statements such as, “Why can’t you be like David?”
Visible Impact stressed that every child has different strengths, abilities and learning needs.
Rather than comparing students, teachers should encourage individual progress and help each learner grow from their own starting point.
8. Ignoring Small Problems
What appears to be a minor behavioural issue can become a bigger classroom problem when it is repeatedly ignored.
Visible Impact advised teachers to address concerns early, calmly and consistently before they grow into more difficult challenges.
For schools hoping to build the confidence of parents and create a positive learning environment, the message is clear: the first week is not just about resuming lessons—it is about setting the tone for the entire term.
Innocent/Paula
