Not sure about you, but my days at school are so busy and I am constantly having to only 'half listen' to all of the things that my kiddies ABSOLUTELY MUST tell me!! You know the things I mean...such things as what their dog ate for breakfast two weeks ago, or how their boy bunny had babies on the weekend etc!
I would love nothing more than to sit down for the whole day and listen to their fabulous news and wonderful chatter... I am just not so sure the Department of Education (or their parents for that matter) would be too thrilled with me doing such a thing!
So... Thursdays are the only day that I don't have any kind of staff duty (YAY for Thursdays!!). I have decided that every Thursday for first half lunch only (I need at least one part of my duty free lunch time to myself), that I will invite one of my kiddies to have lunch in the classroom with me. We can chat and I can catch up on what they have been doing and hopefully make up for some of the times that I really can't drop everything and listen.
I have made up some invitations which I will laminate and hand out to one student every Wednesday. To be chosen, students will need to have been well behaved for the week leading up to the Wednesday... hoping it might help with classroom management as well!!
CLICK HERE if you would like top download the freebie invites from Google Docs.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! Thanks for stopping by and I would love you to leave a comment sharing how YOU connect with your students? Thanks!
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I want to come to lunch with you!! How precious and memorable for your students. My husband STILLS talks about the day he had lunch with his teacher. They will treasure this for years to come:)
ReplyDeleteAww Annie, you are so sweet! I would love to have lunch together one day :D I just love that your husband has such a wonderful memory of having lunch with his teacher!! I would be so thrilled if any of my students had such a memory as an adult!! Hope you are having a great week so far ~ xx
DeleteGreat idea! Unfortunately I don't get a duty free lunch because we eat in our classrooms with the kids every day, but I love that you're trying to get some one-on-one time with your kiddos! We also eat breakfast in the classroom and I use that time to listen to my kiddos. They come up and huddle round me, all of them bursting with news and chatter. Usually it just takes a few minutes of listening and they are satisfied and move off to eat breakfast! I wish I had time to eat with them one-on-one, it would be so much fun and your cards are so cute!
ReplyDeleteJennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten
WOW Jennifer... breakfast and lunch in the classroom, that is amazing!! I love the idea of huddling with the kiddies over breakfast... what a fabulous start to the day for everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing what happens in your day!!
DeleteHow cute, and what a lovely idea! I also only get the one duty free day per week and like to have some of the kids stay in and talk and play if they want. It would be nice to make it more formal with these cute invites. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteKylie
Down Under Teacher
Hi Kylie. I found that a lot of my kiddies were asking if I needed help with jobs at 2nd half lunch and then when they came into the classroom to 'help', they really just wanted to be with me and talk...just too sweet:) I have had one official 'lunch with the teacher' so far and it was a hit...looking forward to the second one tomorrow:) Hope you are having a great week. Enjoy your duty-free Thursday tomorrow :)
DeleteI play a game with my students called "What's on Your Mind." We all sit in a circle and whoever I throw the ball to, gets to say whatever is on their mind. When they are done, they pass the ball to someone else. The game continues until we run out of time. I always tell them that they can say whatever they want, even a story about when they were 3 years old. They love it!
ReplyDeleteLori (luvyorkies@gmail.com)
Teaching With Love and Laughter
Oh Lori, I love this! Thank you so much for sharing! I think this would be a great activity for our Friday afternoons... what a great way to end the week:) Thanks also for stopping by!!
DeleteWe encourage our teachers to have morning meetings so kids have share time, sometimes in pairs, sometimes whole group. This gives the teacher a chance to check their emotional barometer before the day even begins and tell the story that's weighing on their mind before it shows up as behavior later on.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the idea of lunch with the teacher; thanks for looking for ways to capture their hearts!
Barbara
The Corner On Character
Oh I love the idea of morning meetings, Barbara! I imagine they would give such great insight for the teacher and really help with recognising the 'needs' of students on that particular day! Thanks for your sweet comment, I always feel so encouraged by you! Happy rest of the week to you!
DeleteI love this idea! Unfortunately at my school we eat in the lunch room every single day. I try to move around and sit with different students, but it is hard sometimes! =)
ReplyDeleteMs. Smith
http://adventuresofmsssmith.blogspot.com
Hi Ms Smith! I love the idea of a lunch room:) It sounds so social and I am sure your students just love you sitting with them!! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!!
DeleteI am going to implement a "Ladies who Lunch" and a "Men who Munch" club next year so I can spend time with each gender, discussing gender stuff, haha. I can wear boas with the girls and play cars with the boys. I think this might be a great way for them to reach out to me and feel comfortable talking about girl and guy stuff (because first graders have their own stuff too!).
ReplyDeleteFaithful in First
Hi Janine! Oh I just love your idea (especially the boas and cars)! What lucky students you have. I totally agree about forst graders having their own stuff too, they are just so cute! I would love to hear all about it when you start your clubs!! Thanks for stopping by:)
DeleteMy Star of The Week gets two pick two friends from class and come have lunch with me on Thursdays. We talk about our families and other things they do outside the class. On Fridays I also have Sharing the last 15 minutes of the day. It's just like Show and Tell, but some just like to tell! I love your lunch invitations and I'm sure your kids will too:)
ReplyDeleteAloha,
Corinna
< a href="http://surfinthroughsecond.blogspot.com">Surfin' Through Second
Hi Corinna, I love both of your fabulous ideas! Sometimes, I get caught up in trying to get everything finished at the end of the day, but I think that would be a perfect time for the kiddies to share their thoughts! Thank you!! Hope you are having a great week so far :D
DeleteLove it! I actually really like having lunch with my kids, it's just so hard to fit it in lunch when I'm trying to get other things done during that time too (besides eating!) I love the invites though. That would be really helpful in organizing lunches. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'm your newest follower!
Maureen
The First Grade Splash
Hi Maureen. Thank you for stopping by and following my blog, you have made my day! I certainly can relate to how busy lunchtimes can be!! I am looking forward to just taking that one 30 minute block of time and just really focusing all my attention on all of the fabulous things my kiddies have want to share:) Have a great week!
DeleteThat's a lovely idea!
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Grade ONEderful
Ruby Slippers
Thank you so much Barbara, you are always so sweet and encouraging! Hope you are having a wonderful week so far.
DeleteI love this idea and know it will be something I use next year! Thank you for sharing! =)
ReplyDeleteHeather
Heather's Heart
Oh wow Heather, I am so thrilled that you love the idea. I would love to hear how your lunches with your special little people go next year!! Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have a great end to your week :)
DeleteLove this idea, I used it once in the classroom this year for kids who earned it. But I actually think I'm going to use it this summer for incoming first graders who may be nervous about next year. I'm your newest follower, by the way. Come and check out my blog when you get a chance!
ReplyDeleteAnn
The Caffeinated Classroom
Hi Ann! Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comment. What a great 'getting to know you' tool for your incoming first graders! I am really looking forward to following how you go!
DeleteMy apologies for such late replies, but Blogger would not let me comment on my own blog :( Hoping all is fixed now! Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by and left a comment on this post, I love to read your comments and am so grateful! Wishing everyone a wonderful week ~ xx
ReplyDeleteHi April, thanks so much for stopping by and following along!! Hope you are having a great week!
ReplyDelete