First Grade on the Brain: You're a Star!

I did not attend a school that "celebrated everything." However, I am a teacher who firmly believes in the power of acknowledging every effort and giving students feedback. Too often we (yes, I do it, too) feel the need to tangibly reward students and our own children for good behavior or winning or just because. Periodically that it is ok. When we create the habit of doing so, it establishes a sense of entitlement in our students, and even in our own children. They begin to expect those rewards and are only motivated by the tangibles. If we want our children to grow into strong, confident, successful, and responsible citizens, we need to prepare them for success.

Taking time each week to celebrate students is a great way to say, "Hey, I care about you! I would love to get to know you better!" Children of all ages feed off that positive attention and want to make other's proud...even the most reluctant kiddo!

In our class, we celebrate each week with a Star Student. I have a letter to the parents and a student schedule for the year that is sent home the first week or so of school. I remind parents to hang it in a safe spot to help them remember when their child's week is getting closer.

Usually, firsties never forget!!

After a week or two of school beginning (ours is a week and a half since we begin on a Wednesday this year), I begin the Star Student tradition by presenting about me. Students LOVE to see what their teacher shares and this creates a great foundation for student presentations and audience behavior throughout the year. I strongly believe in great modeling so I take the time to thoroughly color my poster (and then laminating it to keep up for students to refer back to when going home to do theirs) and picking out my very perfect treasures to tell students about me. Then, it's on to the first student the following week.

Oh, the anticipation! Monday mornings sometimes feel like Christmas morning (with less wrapping paper mess). Students are so excited to bring in their treasures and begin their Star Week!!

Last year, parents wrote letters to/about their child and sent it in a sealed envelope for me to read to the class on Friday during our special star time. The most emotional part of my week, for sure!! Dang those parents wrote such sweet things! Each week my kids held their breath as I read the letters waiting for me to cry. Stinkers! But it was sweet and cute none the less. This year I will be saving the letters and adding them to their memory books at the end of the year. I figured that was a safer bet than just sending them home Fridays and hoping they made it back home and/or kept them.

backpacks = black hole

So here it is in it's entirety! You're A Star...A Star Student Packet