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By: Bethany Dawson
We live in an increasingly lonely society as social media and technology replace connection, and no one feels that distance more than our students. God designed us from the beginning for heartfelt interactions, laughter, and community. I feel a heavy weight as an educator to ensure that my students experience the joy and belonging that comes from being known as our Father knows us. And in my classroom of second graders, I make intentional efforts to set apart time each day for students to experience exactly that.
Morning Greetings
Any teacher can tell you that we need every single moment we can get in the classroom. There is never enough time to accomplish all of the lessons you need to teach, the attendance you need to take, or the anchor charts you need to make. Therefore, I had always been the teacher sitting at my desk working as students came in each morning, taking advantage of the extra five minutes. This year I decided to shake things up.
I am now glued to my classroom door each and every morning from 7:45-7:55 and I can honestly say it is one of my favorite parts of the school day. Each student gets to enter the classroom one at a time, but only after they have chosen how they would like to be greeted. Many students pick the go-to hug or high five as you would expect, but a surprising number love the salute. Check out the other fun options students can choose from here: Morning Greetings. These daily greetings are much more than a way to welcome students, they are a way to ensure each student feels seen, known, and loved by an adult at school (Gallup, 2016).
Humans are creatures of habit, and many students make the same choice every morning. Then there are the occasional days when a student changes things up and gives me a tiny insight into how they might be feeling that morning. For example, Daniel is a big hugger and almost always chooses a hug for his morning greeting. Some days though he is grumpy or upset with one of his friends and chooses a distant wave. This quickly lets me know that he is going to need a check in soon so that his whole morning isn’t ruined.
Kids aren’t the only ones who need connection though. When we had parent orientation at the start of the school year, I asked each parent who attended how they wanted to be greeted and the joy they showed matched that of their children. As much as my students need that connection first thing in the morning, so do I.
Morning Meeting
While it is critical for students to know that the adults at school care about them, it is equally, if not more important, for students to create a community with their peers. My time in Baylor’s MA in School Leadership (MASL) has taught me just how crucial friendships are for our students. The Gallup Student Poll found that “having a best friend at school gives students a reason to show up, helps them enjoy their days and encourages a range of positive behaviors” (Inc, 2018). What teacher doesn’t want that for their students?
I set apart the first 15 minutes of our morning after announcements to foster our unique classroom community with Morning Meeting. Imagine 21 students sitting on the classroom floor, in a big ole circle, eagerly awaiting their turn to share. We greet each student by name accompanied by a good morning, hey friend hey, or top of the morning (in a British accent of course). This part cannot be overlooked – it is empowering for each student to hear their classmates call them by name. Not only does it feel good when people know your name, but it also gives students the opportunity to remind themselves of each other’s names if they want to seek out a new friend or ask for their help sometime down the road.
After a student is greeted by the class, they have the opportunity to share something with the class. Each day is different, but the days repeat each week.
Students are hungry for the opportunity to talk and connect with their friends, and morning meetings provide students with the space to do that before jumping into the day ahead.
Basketball
For years, I have tried to fill the unavoidable time it takes for small children to transition anywhere – quiet game, Simon Says, copy me, you name it. But nothing brought students or me more joy than the basketball game. Each day when we have a few minutes before specials, students sit with their eyes closed and their ears ready. I bounce a mini basketball while students are silently counting in their head. When I stop bouncing, students automatically raise their hands to see if they were counting correctly. It is such a simple game, but the time set aside to just be kids and challenge themselves has quickly become one of their favorite routines.
The shifts are small, but the impact is lasting. How will you impact your students?
References
Inc, G. (2017, June 8). How to Keep Kids Excited About School. Gallup.Com. https://www.gallup.com/education/231728/keep-kids-excited-school.aspx
Inc, G. (2018, February 26). Why a Best Friend at School Matters for Students and Teachers. Gallup.Com. https://www.gallup.com/education/231758/why-best-friend-school-matters-students-teachers.aspx
About the Author
Bethany Dawson grew up in Plano, TX, and graduated from Baylor University with a BS in Elementary Education. She is passionate about empowering the next generation of learners that will change the world they are entering. In her free time, Bethany loves to cheer on her favorite sports teams and pick up a good book.