A Daily Message
Sets the Tone

A daily message, written by the teacher to the class and highlighting one aspect of the learning day ahead, is a simple but highly effective technique for welcoming students into the classroom, setting the tone for the day, and reinforcing academic skills. Teachers in a wide range of K-6 classroom settings use daily messages in various ways. Here are some tips for using daily messages in your classroom.

• Write a message every day before students arrive. The completed message signals to students that you're ready to start the day. Plus, seeing that you've taken time to write to them daily shows students that morning messages are important and deserve their attention.
• Use an easel stand and chart paper, if possible. Sturdy and easily moveable, an easel stand holding the message chart can be placed to welcome the children as they enter the room, repositioned in the morning meeting circle, and then moved to a spot where students can continue reading or writing during the day.
• Include three essential elements: The three essential elements are the greeting, such as "Good Morning!" or "Welcome, Math Wizards!"; the date; and the body of the message. The body should draw the children's attention to something they'll look forward to doing later in the school day. Write in a style that is developmentally appropriate for the children, and invite them to think about or respond in some way to what you've written.
• Focus on a single topic. This is a key to crafting messages that engage students. Message topics can be derived from curriculum units, classroom issues and interests, or events in the news.
• Use examples for inspiration, but make your messages unique. Your messages will be most powerful and engaging to your students if tailored to their particular needs and learning goals.

Source: Good Morning, Learners