Happy Birthday

There are birthday stickers, crowns, certificates and more all available for purchase.

I like to keep the celebration personal and simple.

I read Heartprints by H.A.Hallinan at the beginning of the year and retread it a few other times throughout the year.  It is a quick story about being kind to others.  I have the birthday student come to the front of the class.  I fill-in information to write a short story about them.
The story is:

Today is your birthday!  (Or future or past date if it was over a weekend or vacation. Though, you know, kids only have birthdays on weekends.  That is usually when their home party takes place.  Young children sometimes haven't figured out the dates yet.)
You are _____years old today! (You will be __years old !)
Your favorite color is ____.
Your favorite food is ___.
Your favorite thing to do in kindergarten is ____.
Hip hip hooray, today is your birthday!

On the backside of the paper, each classmate signs their name as a heartprint wish to celebrate the birthday.  Some classes can tell a word to describe birthday child such as  Kind, friendly, good helper, artist...we talk about what they like about the friend.  I try to stay away from "I like your shirt, hair...." but this is more difficult until the end of the year.


Then we sing a special birthday song and "move" their candle.  This is a big deal!
I have a line of candles for students whose age is 5 years old, 6 years old and 7 years old.

We count how many candles are on each line, how many are left and which row has more/fewer.  The candles are arranged by birthdate so the candle on the end will be next to be moved.

Our school announces birthdays each morning, and they get to walk to the office for a birthday pencil.

If the child brings a snack, they can choose a friend helper(s) to assist with passing it out.

Student can also:
-line leader
-special class helper (pass out papers, monitor, book holder, light helper, do an errand...)
-choose an extra story to be read,
-choose a class game, song, video

Birthdays don't need to be about what you can get, but a day to remember how special you are and how you can lead or help the class.

Hand-in-Hand

Hand-in-Hand

This is how I hope to try to be living my life.  If I have missed my opportunity, then I apologize.  We all have our struggles and challenges.

There are 3 basic rules in my class.

1.  Be nice*

2.  Listen

3.  Do your best

This generation is growing up with a strong technology influence.   Me, me, me.
I saw a news interview with Dr. Michele Borba.  She has written a new book called, Unselfie.  I have read her website micheleborba.com   She has written books, articles and speaks about parenting strategies.  She has written on her blog,  "42 Ways to Raise a Kind Child."


These are some of my ideas:

HOLDING HANDS
I still think it is important to hold the hand of the first child in line.  (My assistant automatically holds the hand of the student at the end of the line.) This simple gesture makes the line leader at the beginning and the 'end of the line helper' a chance to feel special.
Thus holding hands.......we don't do it enough.


LINE BUDDIES

This past year I had a challenging class.  They were very bright but socially, they did not mesh.  So I tried "Line Buddies" the last few weeks of school.  A Line Buddy is another student they are assigned to be with.  I randomly selected the first buddy for the week.  Although our school hallway line procedure is in a single line, I knew my students needed to learn about looking out for another person.  Some pairs held hands, some put their arms around each others' shoulders. As long as it was not distracting, it was their choice, I didn't comment as long as they walked together.   Five-year olds are naturally empathetic.  We just need to allow them the chance.  Line buddies has helped when the children line up from recess, they look for their line partner.  Buddy up!  Look out for each other.


HEARTPRINTS
 

I found this charming book by P. K. Hallinan called Heartprints.  I read this at the beginning of the year and especially on birthdays.  I encourage the children to think of something kind to describe the birthday child.  We write a brief story by completing sentences about their favorite color, food and what they like to do in kindergarten.  Some years, I just have the students sign their name next to the heart on the back of the story as we would for a birthday card.  Some years, I have the students tell a word describing something about the birthday child.

Individual Behavior Home Report
For some students, I have tried a Think About it form that the students would fill out when they have broken a rule.  For other children, I have developed a form that I fill out when they are 'caught' doing something nice.  It seems to be more effort on our part to catch the good acts rather than the misbehaviors. 



Catching children doing good for others, learning, being nice can set the best expectation example for the class.


Keeping things simple so it can work.