Believe it or not, February is around the corner, and it has to be my favorite month due to the number of kindness-themed events!
Of course, there is Valentine's Day. A great spin on handing out valentines is to have students write compliment cards instead. This is no work for the parents because it is all done in class. Start a couple of weeks ahead of Valentine's Day to give yourself enough time, or make an afternoon of it.
Prior to writing, teach a lesson on giving compliments. I have a free printable with the criteria, compliment starters, and the compliment cards! Post the criteria on the Smartboard or give a copy to each student.
For older students:
After the lesson, give them a class list, one compliment card for each classmate, and an envelope for the cards. During a designated time, have students fill out a compliment for each of their classmates. Remind them to use criteria and the starters. Collect them after each writing session so they don't get lost! Have students hand them out on Valentine's Day.
For younger students:
You can do a writing rotation. On a blank piece of paper, write each student's name in the center. After teaching the lesson you can wait until another day to start the writing, or if your students have the stamina for it, you can do the writing while it is fresh in their minds. Post the criteria, review the compliment starters, place the papers on each student's desk. Students have 2-3 minutes to write a compliment, (or 1-2 minutes for K/1 students to write a word that describes that person). They then rotate to another paper at another desk. This allows for some movement while doing a long writing activity!
Collect the papers and hand them out on Valentine's Day for students to read.
I have used compliment cards all year long with all students in our school. It is a wonderful way to show gratitude, let others know of their strengths, and create a strong classroom and school community.
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