In one of my classes this summer they talked about the importance of classroom traditions. What are some traditions you have in your classroom? I want to add more this year, but I'm not coming up with any great ideas. Traditions could be something you do every day, every week or on special occasions (birthdays).
Learn the 50 states song Class cheers Excellent Estimators every Friday Guess My Number/word at end of day Birthday snacks Certain phrases and sayings I flip on the monkey bars at the end of each day of state testing Reunion breakfast in fall with last year's class
HA love the flipping. That is too funny. Can you tell me more about your reunion breakfast. It sounds like a great idea. I flip on the monkey bars at the end of each day of state testing Reunion breakfast in fall with last year's class
A few weeks into the new school year, I send a little invitation to each of my 'old' students from last year's class...they are scattered among 6 teachers in fourth grade, so I get to each of those teachers to distribute the invites! I have the kids meet me at my classroom at 8 am. I bring donut 'munchkins', juice, fruit...sometimes a parent from one of those students will send in a baked goody as well. We sit and eat, they tell stories of their new adventures in fourth grade...it's really nice. After eating we clean up and play a whiteboard game (usually 'guess my word') and by 8:35 I send them to class and let mine in...
Great idea, czacza! I'd love to do something like that, but half of my class from last year will be starting high school in a couple of weeks! A couple of my traditions: - we make hot chocolate after lunch on the first really cold day - we decorate sugar cookies and watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the original) the last day before Christmas break - I do an "awards" presentation for all of my grade 8 students on the last day of school
-make time capsules on the first day and open them on the last day -any students that have not had a discipline referral all year get to bust a pinata on the second to last day -pumpkin pie for Thanskgiving -jazz bagel breakfasts on mornings of state tests -my mom would come visit and run a field day after the state tests -birthday card, hat, pencil (Student must wear hat while the class sings, but some choose to wear it all day. Any inclusion teachers in the room get the hat/song treatment, too.) -writing celebrations every quarter -I made two scrapbooks throughout the year (like a yearbook, but my school didn't do yearbooks). The students would vote on who they thought best exemplified the rules, and I would choose one student who I thought best exemplified the rules. Those students got the scrapbooks on the last day of school. These are the things I will miss about having a class!
Somehow a tradition has started of all the lower grade teachers going down the slide during recess on Grandparents Day... We have a special birthday song we sing after the standard one.
Hi, I like to recite a poem at the end of every day with my students. I use a kids poetry website and project it.
-read aloud after lunch every day -make a self portrait during the first month of school (guided art) -confetti, b.day card, and a mini candy bar for each birthday -practice saying "good for you!" when someone does something great -begin the morning with prayer and question of the day -wait for a hot day in May and have a water balloon fight! -practice saying "Yes M'am" -manners
wow there are some great ideas here!! We measure ourselves at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. The kids love doing this seeing how much they've grown. At graduation parents can see and are shocked!
This was a great post. I think I'll use a few of these this year - saying yes ma'am and thank you and may I (manners)
This is my second year teaching Year 7 - the last year of primary school here in Australia. I enjoy art and was so impressed with the work the kids produced that I started an art portfolio for each child with all their art work in it. The first piece was a work based on their own name which I used as a cover/title page. The kids were given these at the end of the year. I figured the children who are interested in art and pursue it at high school have the beginnings of a portfolio they can use. I have started this again this year.
Wow! Thanks for all the awesome ideas. I give the students confetti at meet the teacher with a poem about having 1st day jitters. Star of the week with special activities ( special snack, favorite book, all about me poster and a special letter from the star's parents. PJ's and hot cocoa day. On the first day and the last day of school the students draw a picture of themselves and compare. We also do a lot of cooking throughout the year. We make sweet potato pie, cornbread, apple butter, pancakes, green eggs and ham, trail mix and plants with dirt.
I'm not sure if it counts as a tradition, but I make a portfolio for each kid as well. It has a first day self-portrait, a first day handwriting sample, a piece of writing from the beginning, middle and end of the year, an end of the year writing sample, and an end of the year self-portrait. On the last page, I write a detailed and personalized letter to the kiddo recalling my favorite memories of him/her. The parents LOVE them and I hope the kids will appreciate them later.
