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Just a few short years ago, I was surveying students and planning our end of the year celebration–Student Appreciation Day!
Why?
It all began when one of my third graders came up to me during my first year of teaching and said,
“Mrs. Martin, why isn’t there a Student Appreciation Day?”
Great question. I had no idea but thought…hey, we can totally make this happen! We should appreciate them. I mean, without them, we have no purpose, right?
I began surveying the students to find out their interest and favorite songs. After the first year, we formed a Student Appreciation Committee. We would meet to check out the kids’ interest, and brainstorm scripts for the teachers to perform that matched the latest craze.
What?
After we discovered the preferred choice of songs of the students, I’d usually cheat and find a dance on YouTube that we could all learn and perform. For days, we would practice the dance and skits in my classroom before and after school. I know you wish you could have been a fly on the wall; I wish I had blooper footage. *giggle* Honestly, even though we were wiped out from the stress of testing season, it was rejuvenating to have an opportunity to cut loose with each other during this time of the year. In fact, I was always amazed at how much we bonded as a staff during the prep for Student Appreciation Day.
Puzzle Time
Lastly, it was my duty to piece it all together making “perfect” sense of the students’ interests and our creations, all while thanking them for giving their best efforts during the school year. Easy peezy, right? Not always. However, it certainly kept my imagination fresh.
Lights, Camera, Action…
Show time was always the highlight for both students and the teachers. We had spotlights, we had props, we had crazy costumes and this SHOW was ALL about them–even though we all felt zealous and enthusiastic! No doubt, if I ever run my own school, we will have Student Appreciation Day. The morale boost it brought was the perfect shot of espresso at the end of the year.
Unfortunately, I do not have a video of the entire assembly, but this was my last Student Appreciation Dance four years ago.
Your Future is Bright! Don’t let Darkness Stand in Your Way. Dance!
(Green, left, front-middle, sweet dance moves, yours truly)
I am an educator who values the individuality and uniqueness of others. Writing the blog R.E.A.L. is an outlet for me to pay it forward by sharing ideas, influences, lessons learned and exposing a little vulnerability while encouraging others to maximize their R.E.A.L. potential, as well.