In case you didn’t know, summer vacation largely came about for two reasons. The first was to free up children to help with important farm chores as the time for harvesting came close. The second reason was the lack of air conditioning. Since more and more Americans are out of farming, and the invention known as air conditioning has made it possible to live in even the hottest states (North Carolina, where Thales Academy is largely located, being one of them) during the summer, many schools have set up a year-round schedule. That is, they do not offer the typical two to three-month summer vacation but instead go back to school in July or early August. 

Thales Academy is one of those schools, and next Monday, July 15, we will have our first day of school. To help get the school year started off right, Winston Brady speaks with Matt Ogle, head of classical education at Thales Academy, about what teachers need to focus on during those first few important days of school. 

During our conversation, Matt and Winston recommended some of the following tips. Begin the school year by making a positive connection with students while outlining your classroom expectations and procedures. How should they enter a room? What are your rules for classroom behavior (be sure to keep them simple) What should students do when they start class?

That way, students know what to expect when they come to class, where the boundaries are during class, and how they can be successful. Spend time building in the kinds of habits you want students to practice during class for the rest of the year since this will free up class time later on. 

Good luck to all the teachers and students getting ready for their first day of school! We look forward to a wonderful year in 2024-2025 with you all.