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Good Morning, Boys and Girls

Start off the way you want the day to go.

Wake Up!
A morning greeting establishes warmth and trust.

Start each day by greeting every student at the door. A warm individual welcome sets the tone for the day and gives you a chance to assess each student's mood and head off problems before they start.

Calm Down
Calm those who encountered early-morning chaos and conflict.

Kids who arrive at school wound up or upset often calm down if classical music is playing as they arrive. Or begin each day with a brief reading -- a short poem, a famous or funny quote, a surprising fact or statistic, or an inspiring message. Some teachers have found that turning the lights down low and projecting the morning's bell ringer activity onto the chalkboard with an overhead projector helps focus students' attention on the day ahead.

Get Engaged
Engage them quickly.

Set up a Morning Corner, and stock it with activities students can do as soon as they arrive: Print a few brainteasers on index cards. Provide writing paper, and suggest people students might write to -- a friend, relative, pen pal, newspaper editor, politician, or celebrity, for example. Write the days' events in code, and have students decipher it. Laminate an assortment of crossword puzzles, anagrams, word searches, and number puzzles and provide washable markers. Fill a Challenge Box with extra-credit activities. Turn a shoe box into a Suggestion Box….

Article by Linda Starr
Education World®
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