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Traditions in Schools


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From back-to-school cookouts to morning exercises and student recognitions, traditions are a powerful tool for weaving students, staff, and families into a single community. The articles below from Education World's archive share stories and practical tips that will help you consider the power of traditions in your school.

Morning Meetings in Middle School:
An Elementary Ritual Grows Up

Many elementary classes start each morning with a meeting, but more and more middle school teachers are realizing that their students crave the community and camaraderie of the morning meeting too. Included: Four components of a morning meeting.


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Find more articles of interest in the following Education World resources:

Building School Community & Climate

Special School-Wide Events

See our complete archive of Focus On articles. More than three dozen hot topics of interest to principals.

Use a Daily "School Pledge" to Build Community
While discussing morning rituals that would be meaningful for teachers and students, the staff at the Adams School in Castine, Maine, decided to introduce five daily pledges -- a different one each day. They got their inspiration from literature, history, and pop culture.

Hallway Greeters Make Morning Transition Safe, Pleasant
The atmosphere at New Hampshire's Dame School is slower and happier since hallway greeters have become part of the morning routine. The number of students running through the hallways has decreased, and the noise level has dropped considerably.

Rise and Shine With Morning Assembly
Connect students and staff at the beginning of each day with a "morning assembly." Principals say a well-organized assembly establishes a positive tone for teachers and students and encourages community involvement.

Morning Sing: School's Weekly Tradition Is Music to the Ears
What has "risk takers" performing on stage, teachers reading and singing to the entire school, and students still talking about events from elementary school years later? It's Lake Street School's "Morning Sing," a weekly event that brings together the entire school.

Familiar Ground: Traditions That Build School Community
An inspiring book from the Northeast Foundation for Children (The Responsive Classroom) describes how a school staff uses traditions to weave a school of individual students, staff, and families into one community.

Copyright 2008 Education World

Last updated 06/26/2008

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