Looking into the Review Mirror

We’re back to the end of another school year; as always, it is bittersweet. My third graders were anxious about moving on to the fourth grade. However, they reflected on their stress and concluded that this was the first year of genuine connection after covid and that this year was special because of the in-person bonds they formed over the last two terms.

I realised that my students were covid babies. They had hazy memories of what school was supposed to be. When they finally returned to school, they lived life to the max and made up for lost time. At the end of the school year, fear of the unknown was setting in.

I thought about what I could do to make them feel better. I have always believed that we are only afraid when we think we are not enough. Therefore, I wanted to equip my students with the belief that they were sufficient and they never had to worry about external changes if they were assured of themselves. Thus began the ten-day appreciation experience!

The last ten days of school were devoted to making the children feel loved and cherished. We built the activities around self-reflection and appreciation for oneself and others. My students enjoyed every moment of it. I must credit my wonderful buddy-in-teaching, Ms. Prakriti Avasthi, who jumped on the bandwagon with no holds barred and showered us with her creative ideas. I have listed a few of the activities here (I’m saving the others for another blog 😊)

You can do these activities at the beginning/end of term or even in the middle of term for no reason other than to appreciate your students!

Here are a few examples of the activities we did-

A balloon bonanza!

We wrote appreciation notes on small post-its for the students, ensuring that each one was personalised. These meaningful notes were put inside the balloons as they were blown up. We taped the balloons to desks and made students guess what was inside as they waited all day to find out! Finally, at dispersal time, students popped the balloons and searched for their personalised notes. Children were touched and taped their messages to their bags and uniforms to remember how much they meant to us.

Appreciation friendship bands

Ms. Avasthi created personalised friendship bands for each child. Since we were doing similes in English, each band had descriptive alliterations, and every child picked one that they resonated with.

Memory Jar

Learners were given prints of a jar. They all listed their favourite moments throughout the year, and then we had a merry sharing session while reliving our best moments together!

A letter to myself

Students wrote a letter to themselves and penned down their hopes, aspirations, and goals. I promised to give them their letters at the end of fourth grade so they could see how much they had grown!

Quirky Awards

Each child nominated themselves for a quirky award such as ‘Class Bookworm’, ‘Amazing Artist’, and more. These awards made each child feel recognised and appreciated!

Appreciation Rock Giveaways

We painted rocks in a variety of colours with each child’s initials. On the other side, we painted alliterations using each child’s name.

The takeaway-

Appreciation of oneself is not only important for personal well-being but also plays a crucial role in social and emotional learning (SEL). When individuals appreciate themselves, they enhance their self-awareness by recognizing their emotions, strengths, and areas for growth. By valuing themselves, children cultivate healthy relationships based on mutual respect, empathy, and effective communication.

Appreciating oneself empowers us to make responsible decisions aligned with values, setting the stage for personal growth and positive contributions to their communities.

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Thus, the practice of self-appreciation intertwines seamlessly with SEL, promoting holistic development and well-rounded individuals.