Last Week of School....
Here's some ideas I found in an article recently - ideas for connecting with our kids on the last week of school. Have we thought about how important that closure is for kids? In many ways, this coming week mirrors our Closing Circle of each day. As a school, we participate in the Closing Circle for our Sixth Graders. What are some of the ways you are celebrating and connecting with your kids in the last week?
Take some time to think about the important, intentional experiences you want to be sure to provide on this last - ever so important week!
Eat lunch together. Join your class in the cafeteria, or invite students to eat in the classroom with you. If you want to make more individual connections, invite a different group of 5-6 kids to eat with you each day Monday through Friday. If you have a snack time in your classroom, that can be a fun opportunity, too—bring in something special to share with the class during the last week and sit with a different group of kids each day.
Join in at recess. If you’re the type who normally stands on the sidelines, ask if you can join a basketball game or jump rope contest. Kids love to see their teachers having fun! Make it your goal to spend at least a couple of minutes with each child at some point during the week just hanging out, talking, or doing something they love.
Read (or re-read) your favorite books. If you haven’t had time to share your favorite children’s book with your students, now’s your chance! And if you have, the last week of school is a great time to revisit that book again and invite children to join in on the parts they remember. Encourage the kids to submit their favorite books for you to read again, too. If you don’t have enough time for them all, provide 10-15 minutes for kids to pair up and read their favorite book to a partner. This is also a great opportunity to remind your students of how much they’ve grown as readers throughout the year!
Record favorite memories. There are lots of creative ways to have students reflect on what they learned and enjoyed during the year, but many of them are time-intensive. If you only have a few minutes, hang a large blank piece of bulletin board paper and invite students to share their favorite memories and lessons during your morning bell work or dismissal time. Another easy way to capture students’ memories if you have a video release form from parents is to use your phone to capture video of yourself interviewing kids at lunch or recess (or have a student do it for you). Play the video clips back for the class to watch and reminisce together, or post them on your class blog so parents can see, too.
Bright ideas for connecting with kids during the last week of school
FYI
* Reminder that I need class lists by Monday if you haven't already shared those with me yet.
* I hope to send out the blog to parents on Monday informing them of some of the up coming changes - both with staff and the way we will share teacher assignments for next year.
* Please make hard copies of student reports for cum files.
* I made a shift from the original decision to send student reports out on Thursday, to sending them out on Friday. You will have some time on Thursday morning to work on those. If you are ready to send them on Thursday, you can do so at the end of the day. All reports need to be emailed by Friday noon.
Week of June 1st
Tuesday: 6th grade continuation ceremony at 6:30 pm
Wednesday:
All School Drum Circle
Staff Meeting @ 1:30 in the library
Staff get-together at Julie's house
Thursday:
9-11:00 Kindergarten Parent Orientation
8:30 - 11:00
The rest of the staff works on sending out report cards and/or packing up your room.
11:00-12:00 Acknowledgement Circle
Lunch
1:30 Moving of classrooms
Have a great weekend!
Deborah
