The next school year may seem far off, but it will be here before you know it. Start planning now to help create a wonderful year that’s filled with reminders of significant memories and milestones. Laura, a 1st Grade Teacher from Athens, Georgia, knows that each school year is filled with memories that deserve to be captured. She embraces the idea that everyday moments should be preserved. Here is how she celebrates her students and their families.
Capturing the School Year in Pictures
This activity honors a student’s past, present, and future school experiences. During Open House, as students come into the classroom with their family and friends, I snap a photo of each group. I post these photos on a classroom bulletin board titled, “Our Picture Perfect Families.”
My students enjoy showing off these photos to each other and to class visitors. If a student doesn’t attend open house, I ask that student to bring in his or her own photo from home or to draw a picture. I leave these photos and pictures up all year long.
Over time, I add more photos (three or four per student) showing each student participating in class happenings and activities throughout the year. At the end of the year, I bind each child’s set of photos together with a note thanking them for the happy memories captured in the photos, reminding them that they’re always welcome to return next year, and wishing them wonderful school adventures ahead.
What are some of your favorite ways to capture the school year and help your students preserve their memories of the time spent in your class?