A New Teacher’s Ultimate Guide To Building Classroom Culture-Day 3
We hope that y’all have gotten some great tips for Day 1 and Day 2 of a new teacher’s ultimate guide to building classroom culture.
On the third day, I brought my students over to the carpet and they sang and danced to the Quality Student song. Remember it is a free download in our store and the motions to the song are in A New Teacher’s Ultimate Guide to Building Classroom Culture- Day 1. I know you are thinking, “Why are you singing this song again?” It is because I want my students to internalize the meaning of the song. It is a song about being a quality student, therefore, I want them to memorize it. It is also a great way to get them up and moving as they dance to the song. Watch a video of the motions here!
Circle Time
After we sang the song, then they sat down for circle time and I reminded them of the rules about holding Quentin and class sharing. Just in case you missed the first two days, the only student who should be talking is the one holding Quentin or whatever you are using for your class mascot. This time I explained that I wanted them to look at the student beside them and say, “Good morning_____________. My name is____________ and a quality student____________________. This is a way that they can learn their classmates’ names. Many of my students mentioned the words from the song, and some students came up with their own ideas.
Quality Student Emergent Reader
I read our simple reader about being a quality student and having quality behavior. We also sing this fun song about good classroom behavior. We discuss the vocabulary words like quality, responsible, manners, share, being kind and working as a team. There is also a black and white copy for kids to write in and a teacher guide on how to use them. Check it out here.
We also have them in these Digital Boom Cards with audio and they are great for literacy centers as well as at home practice! You can get them here at our TPT store or try them here at our Boom store.
Quality Teacher and Quality Student Outlines
Then I drew a blank person on chart paper. It is just like a gingerbread outline. I titled it Quality Student and the students brainstormed how a quality student uses their eyes, ears, mouth, brain, heart, hands and feet. I drew a line to each body part and wrote what they said. They said things like,”A quality student listens with their ears.” “A quality student looks at the teacher.” A quality student uses their brains to learn.” I think you get the idea.
Then I drew another outline that is titled Quality Teacher, and they brainstormed what they thought a quality teacher should be like. It was so sweet when one of my students said that a quality teacher should love her students with her heart and another one said that a quality teacher should hug with her hands. Another student said that a quality teacher should sing with her mouth. They say the cutest things!
I posted both of the outlines on the wall and it is a great reminder of what quality people should be like.
This idea is from Baldrige Education. Read more here.
A Class Big Book
Next, I sent the students to their seats and they drew and labeled their own quality students for a class big book. I loved how the students used what they learned from the quality student song!
The students loved sharing this book over and over!
Do you have more ideas to share from your own classroom? Maybe you have a suggestion that would improve on our ideas? Whatever it is, we want to hear it! Comment below or join our Literacy Station FB Group to share great ideas all the time.
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We hope that you have an awesome week back to school!
Pam
