When last summer came to an end and the staff at Irving Elementary came together I can remember a TED Talk that our principal showed us to kick off the year on a positive note. The lady presenting shared something she told her students at the beginning of the year that is so simple, it’s impossible not to try in your own room. This is what I told them before we created our classroom rules together:
“I have a secret to tell you all. Do you promise to keep to between us?” I quietly asked the class. Heads started bobbing up and down, a wave of yes’s travelled through the room. “Ms. Kusel and I picked you all to be in our classroom. We looked at all students in second grade and chose the kindest, smarted, most special students to be in this class.” Their eyes widened. “You are all the smartest and most unique students we have ever met and we NEEDED you to be in this class! We truly have the perfect class.” The looks on their faces confirmed it was working. They seemed to have their heads held high proud to be “chosen” to be in our class. The truth is Ms. Kusel and myself would love and accept any student placed in our class, but this is a fun way to push your students to believe they are as special as you know they are. Fast forward to a week ago, our class needed to review our classroom rules. When I came back from being gone for two days I decided it was the perfect time to reflect and review the rules we created. I also reminded them that I chose them all to be in this class; that they are all smart, capable, special, caring, different students I wanted and needed in my class. Their reaction this time around was even more special. I think because they are so familiar with each other now, along with being more comfortable in our room, they owned this statement more. They forgot, but once reminded again they really believed it - which they should! We got lucky with a caring, smart, loving class of 19.
2 Comments
Tracey
3/26/2019 04:49:23 pm
Yours is a very sweet deception where the ends definitely justify the means.
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Natasha
3/27/2019 05:00:51 pm
What a lovely thing to say to students. You're right--it sounds hard not to try in your own room, once given the idea. Thank you for sharing!
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AuthorI am a second grade teacher at Irving Elementary School in a co-taught classroom! Archives
May 2019
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