Your Students are the Center of Their Own World!

It is the beginning of school, and your students have been the center of attention for five years. Their expectation is they will be the center of attention in your classroom too! Since all must learn to share in this new “home” away from home, how can you facilitate the student’s need to be #1? Make the first lessons about them! From All About Me to What’s In a Name, to letter and sound relationships to the name, all can bridge the transition. There is comfort in studying about oneself. It is familiar, and something everyone can be an expert on! It is also the very first word a student can read without hesitation.

Teaching Others About Me

Students from all backgrounds can come together on this topic! I have met very few kindergartners who are not an expert about themself. Given the opportunity, bonds of friendship are made quickly in this freeflowing lesson space. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Focus on one student each day: chart their name, feature a picture and drawing of them, draw some familiar scenes they have shared in discussion. Hang this chart for all to see. Repeat each day until all students have their own All About Me chart. I love having these for Open House too!
• Include Name songs each morning that allow students to find their name and be recognized. (see link-https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Name-Song-18128?st=06dec22e71c89795eb4c44aa1500a6d1) Put everyone’s name on pocket chart cards for each day. After a few weeks,mix them up for a more challenging discovering each day.

Provide repetetive Name Work that emphasizes Spelling the Name

Do not focus on writing the name in the beginning. This allows students to manipulate letters and feel more successful. (see link) As students learn how to quickly arrange letters of their name, you can introduce writing letters/name writing. This should always be done as a lesson showing directionality. You can do this lesson whole group using a chart, or I love having a lesson using the computer where I type the names using dotted/arrow fonts. At the end of the lesson, I print the pages for students to trace. I type the name, students hold up their hand, and pick up their name card to show the class.

Show and Tell is Still a Thing!

• Have a Friday Show and Tell! This is a great way for students to bring something small to school that has meaning to them. (be sure to emphasize NO small pets in backpacks–unless you love chaos!) Make a small bulletin board area to display photos from each student’s share day.

More Detailed Name Work Instruction

• Continue Name Work well into the second quarter of the year. This is necessary in order for kids to gain confidence in knowing and writing their names.
• Students should have a name activity every morning during arrival time. Arranging letters, then practice writing the name is a five minute activity that ensures success by December! (see link)
• Scaffold learning by including names in short stories you chart together, and have friends to draw “gifts” for friends while attempting to write letters of names. This activity gives students an incentive to “address” the picture to someone. It is amazing how soon kids recognize each other’s names.

Example:

Janey went to the grocery store. She saw Joe pick out a can of peas. Barry picked out some eggs.

(continue the story until all names are included) End the story with a group effort, such as making a

meal together.

The aforementioned activities work! I have used them in my classroom for years. For more name-related activities, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

I hope you have a wonderful year!