Making a First Impression & Setting the Tone

First impressions matter, especially during the first days of school. They set the tone for the entire year, shaping students' expectations through what we say, the learning experiences we design, and the classroom routines and rituals we establish.

The first days of school are an opportunity to build a classroom culture where every student feels valued as a mathematical thinker and understands that their ideas matter. The choices we make during the first days of school send powerful messages about what mathematics looks and feels like in our classrooms. 

As you plan for the beginning of the school year, consider these guiding questions:

• How will I get every student talking about their mathematical thinking from Day 1?

• How will I communicate the expectation that all students are active participants in mathematical thinking and discourse every day? How will I model my role as the teacher (a facilitator who values student thinking, encourages collaboration, and supports productive discourse)?

• How will I help students develop a growth mindset about mathematics, regardless of their past experiences? How will I nurture positive student math identities so students see themselves as capable learners and problem solvers?

• How might I use tools such as Math Discourse Cards, Accountable Talk Sentence Stems, Leveled Language Frames (K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12), and/or Cooperative Learning Structures to create a language-rich learning environment where every student has opportunities to communicate and justify their thinking?

• What types of mathematical tasks will I choose to promote collaboration, problem solving, and meaningful discourse from the very beginning? How will I position productive struggle as a valuable and expected part of learning mathematics, rather than something to avoid?

• What classroom norms will support respectful discussion, risk-taking, and perseverance? How can students play an active role in creating and owning those norms?

In thinking about the first days of school, here are some resources for exploration:

• Starting the Year on the Right Foot: Building a Strong Foundation for Mathematics Teaching and Learning (NCTM President's Message, August 2026)

• Using Problem-Solving to Build Community From Day 1 (Edutopia)

• Dos and Don’ts for the First 2 Weeks of Elementary Math Classes (Edutopia)

• Week of Inspirational Math(s) (youcubed.org)

• Building a Thinking Classroom in Math (Edutopia)

Establishing Classroom Norms

Daily mathematical discourse and a language-rich learning environment, where students are doing the talking, the thinking, and the mathematics, does not happen by chance. They are built through strong classroom norms, explicit teacher modeling, and consistent positive reinforcement. These norms shape how students communicate and collaborate while fostering a classroom culture where every learner feels empowered to share ideas, take intellectual risks, and take ownership of their learning and mathematical thinking.

Two examples of norms specific to the mathematics classroom are shown below:

Carol Dweck’s research popularized the idea of a “growth mindset,” which emphasizes that intelligence and skills can improve through effort, practice, and learning. A “fixed mindset,” on the other hand, views ability as relatively unchangeable. Studies suggest that about 40% of students lean toward each mindset, while the remaining 20% fluctuate between the two. To help foster a growth mindset and strengthen positive student math identities, consider these Positive Norms to Encourage in Math Class from Jo Boaler and youcubed.org.

Even the Seven Norms of Collaborative Work can be adapted for students in a classroom.