Celebrating the end of the year is a blast! If you follow me on instagram, Facebook, or blog, you know I am all about teaching my students kindness. I feel as though kindness, consideration of others, and overall care for each other has descended over the past years even since I was in elementary school (read more of my thoughts on anti-bully programs here). I really don’t remember kids being so mean and heartless (but who knows, in elementary school no one ever remembers their teacher yelling just throwing parties ha). With all the hoopla over the end of the year countdowns and what not, I decided this year it was time to CELEBRATE each and every one of us in our classroom. We have worked on overdrive to care for each other and it’s time to make us all feel absolutely confident and joyful about ourselves (even the tough little buggers)!
I smashed together some ideas I’d seen floating around instagram and came up with this:
It’s so simple! Each day we will take down someone’s picture and put it in a circle map (we are a Thinking Map school, so we have to use our maps accordingly). The “student of the day” so to speak sits in MY teacher chair (score) and all the students, one by one, tell the student, “You are ________”. The “student of the day” says, “Thank you _______!”. That student that just gave the affirming word comes up and writes it on the circle map and signs their name. I make sure to give clear directions that the students aren’t talking to me about the student, they are talking directly TO the student. It’s much more powerful.
After each student has been able to say a kind word, the student of the day gets to take the GIANT POSTER home! Can you imagine? Their own anchor chart all about THEM! I do hope this is a keep sake for a while, or at least long enough for these kind words to sink in to their little souls!
During distance learning, I created a digital version that is easy to implement while not in the classroom. But it will work for in classroom use too!
Tracy Leigh Huffman says
I do something similar on each kiddo’s birthday. They get to stand in front of the Promethean board and I outline them. Then they sit in my chair and draw sticks to call on their classmates. The classmates say something about them and I put it in a ‘cloud’ around their outline. When it is done the kiddo steps back in to their outline and I take a picture. I print the picture and send home but I also text it to their parent right away so they can see what we do. The kiddos love it. After the first birthday of the year they know it’s coming. And we do half birthdays for any non school year birthdays. I should mention…I teach Kindergarten.
Kelsey says
What do you do for summer birthdays?
Jen says
I let the parents of the children with the summer birthdays know a month in advance that we celebrate their birthdays in the month leading up to the end of school. I spread them out (one or two per week). We do the same thing we do for our school-year birthdays. This way they get a special day too! Another fun one is celebrating them on their half-birthdays. http://sparklinginsecondgrade.com/easy-classroom-birthdays/
Josee says
I love this! CAn i ask what is written on the pictures themselves?
Jen says
On the picture it says, “My favorite thing about first grade is…..” and the student’s response 🙂
Marisa says
Hi! How do you print the words on the picture? So cute!
Jen says
Thank you! I take the pictures, put them on my computer, put the pictures into powerpoint, write whatever I want on top of them, save them through powerpoint as a picture!
Lu says
How do you print the pictures once you have written on them through powerpoint?
Jen says
I save them as a jpeg or png file. That way when I upload them to Walmart or CVS photos they can print!
Camille says
I love this idea. What photo editing app/software do you use? Thanks for sharing!
Jen says
For which? I mostly use powerpoint to put text onto my blog pictures 🙂
Cynthia says
I love this. It warms my heart to think of those kids who don’t have much support at home having this to remind them that we know they are special.
Val says
I love this idea! What words go on their pictures? Did you think of them?
Thanks!
Jen says
I ask them what their favorite thing they did was in the year 🙂
lauren says
Have you ever had issues with kids giving sarcastic compliments that they don’t really mean? Or being unable to come up with something? I’d love to do this, but worry about feelings getting hurt by what kids will say in the moment. I wish it wasn’t a concern, but even at this time in the year, some of my kiddos aren’t the best at getting along 🙁
Jen says
I always ask what they are going to write and direct them to something else, there are lots of repeats too 😉
Jen says
Great idea!
Megan Perkins says
Towards the end of the year, I have each student write their name on a piece of paper. The whole class rotated around the room to each student’s desk and writes one or two positive character traits or adjectives about that person on their piece of paper. Students are always excited to see what their classmates said! I collect the papers and correct spelling of necessary. Then I have the students use a site to make the words about themself into a word cloud that they are allowed to decorate with the fonts and colors of their choice. I print them out and frame them in an 8×10 frame (dollar store) with a picture of the class. I love how they turn out. <3
I LOVE that you have the rest of the class say their sentiments to the specific student out loud! I LOVE the idea of doing 1 kid per day!
Thanks for sharing!