Every week, a small newspaper from my local area shows up in my mailbox. This week, the newspaper featured a group of Kindergarteners learning how to make a human pyramid in gym class. The children were quite proud of themselves and smiled brightly, while trying not to collapse, for the photo in the paper.
Here’s the scoop.
As I looked over the photo and read the short article, I started thinking – what if we spent everyday celebrating the little things our students do? What if we took notice of how one little one built an amazing tower out of blocks? What if we took notice of how two children sat together to read a book? What if we took notice of the decision-making, creative thinking, cooperative play, and other positive efforts your students are making every day to grow and learn? And then what if we talked about it or shared it with others like it was front page news!
I know you have great things happening all around your classroom – so be sure you are keeping track. Perhaps your news won’t make it to the front page of the local newspaper (which I think it should) but these kinds of happenings can and should be front page news in your classroom, to your parents, to the children, to your co-workers, and to anyone else who happens to be walking by.
You’ve got great stories to tell.
It is easy to overlook the things that could be front page news in your classroom. Think about it for a second. When a parent picks up a child at the end of the day and asks how the day went, what comes to mind first? What does your front page news look and sound like? The best front page news comes from celebrating the efforts your children are doing to grow and learn.
Listen, you have great stories to tell about what is happening in your classroom, but you have to be like a reporter looking for those scoops so you will be ready to report them like they are a big deal. Leave no stone unturned!
News Flash: Three Benefits to Focusing on the Front Page News in Your Classroom!
- Your students will love overhearing your conversations with others about how the efforts they are making to learn, make decisions, color-mix, or play with a friend are a big deal. As they hear you talking about the efforts they are making, they will want to keep making those efforts.
- You will start to get excited about the progress you are seeing and want to keep the momentum going all around your classroom.
- Your enthusiasm and your student’s enthusiasm is contagious. As your parents, co-teachers, and others start to subscribe to your front page news, everyone will be talking about how amazing and fun learning really is.
