ABC Affirmations

I don't know about you, but I like being affirmed. Not in a glib, fluffy way, but in a sincere, "good job!" sort of way. When someone says something nice, it just feels good. My dad is awesome at affirming people. As such, he's great at getting volunteers for stuff because people are drawn to him and like to be around him. And it's not like he doesn't get anything in return. Affirmations are a win-win because they feel good on both ends, for both the giver and the receiver. I think it's important for us to teach our students to affirm one another. For a job well done. For great progress on something. For a random act of kindness. For the sweet compliment that cheered someone up. Or just for being. When you engage students in the ABC Affirmations activity, they have to think through the alphabet to come up with different words of affirmation. Ask your students to buddy buzz with a partner to come up with words or phrases of affirmation that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Click on the picture for the template to download a copy if you want them to record their responses.

Follow up the partner-share with this large-group activity aloud. Grab a nerf ball, a stress ball, or even a balled up sock and toss it to the student who raises his/her hand to say a word (or a phrase or sentence with that word in it) of affirmation that begins with A - A is for awesome! or You did an amazing job!  Have them toss it back to you or call the next letter and toss it to the next raised hand. B is for beautiful or What a blessing you are! Then C is for cheerful or caring or compassionate (and yes, they can use words like eXtraordinary or eXcellent for the X!). You don't have to go in ABC order if you want to keep them guessing. Pay special attention to what happens in the room; 

is there a levity that you didn't anticipate? Can the kids feel it, too? 

This would also serve as a great way to review classroom expectations, your social contract, or your promises to one another. 

Start with the inquiry:  How do we want to treat each another this year?