This high energy day is always a favorite among school days. Usually it’s on the 14th of February, but this year we celebrated today, since we have parent/teacher conferences tomorrow. Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day. Children (and staff) showed up in various shades of red and pink, some looking like human valentines. I love the enthusiasm for this day.
Each class has its own way of celebrating. Some classes begin well ahead of time, making little gifts to give on this special day. All classes create some sort of container for each child to collect the valentines they’ll receive from their friends. Some put theirs in the hallway for easier distribution, while others have theirs in their classroom. Most of the children will take their valentines home to open, while some will spend time in class doing so. Either way, the excitement level is high.
One practice I’ve appreciated over the years is teachers providing a class list so no one will be left out. It’s a day of being inclusive and showing appreciation. Many students will bring commercial valentines, made by someone else. Others take time to create their own handmade valentines. For emerging writers, it’s an excellent opportunity for writing practice, as they painstakingly form the letters of each classmate’s name.
Speaking of writers, today was my writing day with the 1st/2nd graders. We’re currently engaged in a poetry study. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I shared three different love poems, then gave them an assignment to write a love poem about a friend using the prompt “I love you because.” With beginning poets I suggest that they think of the process as making a list, then add a “twist” at the end, a line that catches their reader by surprise. We’ve been working on the twists for a few weeks now, and they’re starting to get the hang of it. This week’s collection of love poems was especially sweet. Here is Judah’s to give you a peek at what’s forthcoming from this group:
I Love You Because…
when I’m mad you cheer me up.
you are a fast soccer player.
you are good at making me laugh.
we make sand castles.
we sing music together.
we do jump rope together.
we play b-ball together.
We talk fast. We can run fast.