#CelebrateMonday
The phrase #CelebrateMonday was coined by Sean Gaillard, a Principal from NC. The idea of #celebratemonday is more than that now; it is a movement. The idea is simple. Shift the celebration, excitement, and anticipation from Friday to Monday. You can follow the hashtag on Twitter for ideas on how to make Mondays better. Below is an example.
Don’t forget to #CelebrateMonday! @ChrisWeissCT @vicking02 @MsCrawford101 @HCPSTinyTech @SaneeBell @GrantCorlissg pic.twitter.com/xYhdBXECLD
— Sean Gaillard (@smgaillard) July 11, 2016
Below are six ways that I #celebratemonday in my classroom. I mix them up, but try and create short, engaging ways to celebrate the first day of the week. I work in a Middle School, so this may be a little different for high schools or elementary schools, but the concept is the same.
Band of the Day
I start out by looking at This Day in Music and pick something that matches that date. For example, on this day in 1988 Micheal Jackson performed solo for the first time in the U.K. I’ll play some of his greatest hits while the students enter my class. It doesn’t take a lot of time on my part, and the kids appreciate the music and celebration.
Weekend Roundup
I have students share “a Tweet” about their weekend. I give them quarter sheets of paper and invite them to share a summary of their weekend. This activity allows me time to take roll, but also gives me a small glimpse into how their weekend was and lets me know if I need to spend a little extra time or attention with a student who had a rough couple of days.
Movie Review
I will share a movie review for a recent film that just came out. My students jump in on the conversation, and we can have an intelligent discussion/debate about the recent releases. Many students look forward to the conversation especially those that saw the movie. Obviously, you don’t want to drop spoilers and ruin the movie for other students.
Book Shares
I allow students to share books that they recently finished or share a part of a book that I just finished. Your readers will love it. It also creates a buzz around books, and you’ll notice that conversations surround books. It’s awesome.
Sports Recap
I am passionate about sports. I know we all have students that love sports as well. I #celebratemonday by recapping/talking about major sports that happened over the weekend. Maybe it was a rivalry game, the local high school team, or even games that your students played in. If you have students that play for the school team, there are few things greater than celebrating their accomplishments in front of the class.
Moments of Reflection Journaling/Blogging
Writing is a little easier as an English teacher, but I allow my students to reflect on their lives in the form of blogging/journaling. Life is full of awesome events; it’s important to write those events down so we can enjoy them over and over.
Conclusion
In the end, it doesn’t matter how you celebrate the first day of the week, just that you do. You can do it in your classroom, as a small team, or as an entire school. However you #celebratemonday share it with others.