Our Promise To Each Other

Just for fun, I entered our DREAMS display in a B2S bulletin board contest on what just happens to be the anniversary of MLK Jr's I have a dream speech. 

I just love Wednesdays because it's our mid-week chance to gather as a community before school and launch into the day together. Staff members unite by wearing their character Ts and jeans. We recite the pledges to the flags as well as our character pledge:

Graphic template from recitethis.com

We share our moment of silence, then publicly celebrate birthdays.
We get a weather report and listen to the lunch menu.
 Sometimes we enjoy a special performance or presentation.
Before we leave, we sing the School Song together.

This is what I'll be wearing today.

It's actually the shirt I got for speaking at North Pointe Elementary last week so I won't match anyone else, but I'll wear it with pride, that's for sure. On the back, it says National School of Character. We have that in common with them!

And during these first two weeks, 

there ought to be a lot of social contracts posted.

A social contract is our promise to one another. 

They come in all shapes and sizes. 
Here are two examples; 
the first one will be complete when 
the students all put their thumbprint on it.

 

These contracts are meant to be a working document so that if someone has signed the promise but has somehow gotten off track from the terms of the agreement, students and teachers can refer back to the contract and revisit it by asking:

How did we say we would treat one another?

 Periodically it might need to be updated or something might need to be added. It's good to take a look at the contract at the end of each week to reflect on how you've done as a class. It's also important to share it with any new student who joins your class family and let him/her sign it.

It's fun to see how these contracts evolve.

Make it a wonder-filled Wednesday!