How do you celebrate your students?
Creating celebration routines and activities into your schedule helps by
- building classrom connections
- encouraging students and building self-confidence
- motivating students as they anticipate these engaging classroom traditions
1.Birthdays– Create a special routine to celebrate students’ birthdays. For example, you can have each student write a note to the birthday person and bind all the notes into a book.
Additional tips for the birthday student: write a special birthday message on the board, sing to them, give a birthday pencil, pen or small notebook; let them be the leader for the day or let them choose a special activity. For your greeting, all the other students can high 5 or hug the birthday student. At lunchtime, you could have the birthday student and a friend come and have lunch with you. Whatever you do, find ways to make the birthday student feel special on their special day. One more tip: For summer birthdays, you can celebrate early before school gets out or do half birthdays-Celebrate June birthdays in December; July birthdays in January; August birthdays in February.
2. Paper plate compliments-Write each student’s name in the middle of a paper plate. Pass them around and the other students write 1 or 2 word compliments for that student. Before you begin, brainstorm words that students can use for compliments to motivate students and help them feel confident in their spelling. You can do this for birthdays, at the beginning of the year or at the end of the year. One more tip: Display these around the room so students can celebrate all the compliments!
3. Celebrate what makes you unique-How do you do this? Start with the book Ruby the Copycat. In the story, Ruby struggles to figure out what makes her special. This book is great to build confidence and show that everyone has something that makes them special. Find out more about this charming story here.
Working on discovering your special talents and unique gifts can be a yearlong task. Revisit this idea so students can see their growth and accomplishments. One more tip: To celebrate, your students can draw self-portraits and write I am special because ____.
4. Positive contact home-Celebrate students with weekly positive contact to families. Make a list of all your students and write down the date that you contact the families with a positive note, phone call or email. What do you write in the notes? You can celebrate anything- effort, kindness, patience, perseverance, academic improvement and success! One more tip: Print out these notes and keep them handy so you can celebrate any successes.
5. Have fun and celebrate just because you have great students! First, decide on a theme -beach day, campfire day, blanket fort day, glow day, bubble gum day, bubbles and chalk, STEM day, or anything else that sounds fun! Provide activities such as reading on your beach towel or build a blanket fort with your desk and read with a friend. Contact families for items that they can donate or that kids can bring to add to the fun! One more tip: Take pictures of your celebration, display in the classroom and share with families.
6. Me Bag-This is a fun celebratory activity that you can use anytime of the year! Send your students home with an empty bag. Provide questions that they answer about themselves. Download this note and directions. Set aside time in the next week for students to share what’s in their ME bag. This celebrates students’ interests and provides an opportunity to practice speaking and listening. Click on the picture below for more information. One more tip: Share your own ME BAG to connect with your students and model how to share the contents.
7. Family Photos-Finally, as a celebration of the home & school connection, ask families to provide photos that you can display in your classroom. You can do a family photo wall or bulletin board or you can ask for framed photos (or purchase inexpensive frames) and display them around the room. This celebrates students and the people that are important to them. One more tip: Take pictures of your students and display them in your classroom as well.
Celebrating with your students can be easy, fun and is a great way to build classroom community with traditions that your students will remember!
Supporting you all the way! đ
