The Personal Touch
- Birthdays: I would have the students fill out a student
information sheet the first week of school, which would
include asking for their birthday. I always had blank
birthday cards (I had made in my word processing program)
and cupcakes (storebought keep longest) in my room. Whenever a student's
birthday came, they looked forward to receiving a birthday card
and a cupcake...and if I ever forgot, THEY LET ME KNOW!!!
It was a relatively easy way to personally connect with my
students. --KR
- Start Each Day with a Laugh: I bought day-by-day calendar with the "Far Side" comics
by Gary Larson. I photocopied them onto transparencies (6 or
8 comics fit on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet...) Every day, when the students came in, with
their warm up activity, there was a quote-of-the-day, and a comic-of-the-
day. --KR
- Bizzare Facts: I start each day (I'm a substitute) by writing on the board a bizarre fact. For instance, American Airlines saved $125,000 in 1987 by removing one olive from each salad served in first class. The students love it and it seems to start the day off right! --submitted by Katie
Do you have a "personal touch" tip you'd like to share? Please, submit it here!