Forget the Lesson Plan

We are headed back!  I woke up this morning thinking one more sleep till I get to see the kids.  You know that you are ready, when that is what you are thinking.  I've been doing some reading about social emotional learning and its impact on your classroom.  It is definitely one of the things that I want to cultivate more in my classroom.  We are all aware that for many students, school is the most stable place they have and one of the only places where they feel that they add value.  I work hard to build relationships with my students, but some days when you only see them for 48 minutes and they are gone, it becomes a little more challenging.  Through some of my reading, I have seen how humor can be a great cornerstone for building helping children build the social emotional skills they need to navigate their path in life.  I found this quote in an article at thelaughterremedy.com

This laughter is a reflection of the joy and happiness that humor and play provide, but we now know that laughter can also help generate a joyous and happy state in children where there was none before.  So nurturing children’s sense of humor helps them gain a measure of control of their daily mood.  (And you know that when they’re in a good mood, it’s easier for you to sustain a good mood.)Good humor skills during childhood help build a solid sense of self-esteem.  Since humor and shared laughter help the child receive a lot of positive feedback from other kids (and adults), this gradually builds a strong sense of good feeling about oneself.
Perhaps the most important long-range emotional benefit of humor resulting from the development of good humor skills during childhood is the coping skill known to be associated with humor.  There is a large body of research documenting humor’s power in helping adults and adolescents cope with life stress.  Kids who build this skill early on are able to benefit from this coping advantage throughout their life.

While this article was directly focused on early learners, it hit me that if we can start with some humor, it might just be what our students need.  If it also helps them to maintain a positive mood throughout the day, then it will be an even bigger win.  I know that I feel better and more positive if I've laughed.  Since I teach middle school kids, I also want them to know that I am glad to see them.  This is like walking on a tight rope...you have to do it just right or they will not take it seriously.  So tomorrow, my students will find this sign in random places in our hall.  I smile thinking of the groans and can hear some of their comments already, but I also know that it will be a start in letting them know that they were missed and I'm glad they are here.  After all, don't we all want to feel like we belong?!?!   So here is to the high fives, fist bumps, smiles, and laughter from the students.  I know I'll be focused on taking a few moments to set aside the lesson plan and just let the kids know that I'm glad they are here with me.