PBSES Newsletter
February 26th, 2021

Welcome Back!
I hope you enjoyed your first week back from break! We recognize there are still a plethora of challenges new and old. Through teacher conversations we have learned three target areas where teachers are finding the most challenges; management, connection and student engagement.
Please see resources below that can help you navigate these challenges.
This Newsletter will cover:
- Management Resources: Setting Routine
- Connection Resources: Relationship Builders
- Student Engagement Ideas
Management Resources: Setting Routines
"Routines give our days structure and increase productivity. They are especially valuable for young people, who are more likely to feel relaxed and safe in an environment where they know what to expect. When students arrive at a physical or virtual classroom where there is a consistent routine, they do not expend unnecessary energy worrying about what they'll be asked to do. Instead, they can focus their energy on learning." -Catlin Tucker (Resource)
Types of Routines:
Morning Routine "I encourage teachers to start every class with a welcome routine. If they dedicate the first 10 minutes of every class to a consistent welcome routine, they can eliminate many of the management issues that plague teachers and reduce lost minutes at the start of the class." -Tucker 3 Ideas to Start:
| Daily Routine Establishing effective classroom routines helps keep your classroom running smoothly and ensures that no time is wasted while students wonder what they should be doing during times of transition. Classroom routines can be established for many activities. 3 Ideas to Start:
| Closing Routine Closing routines provide an opportunity to re-establish connection, summarize key concepts, reflect on emotions, and set academic and personal goals. Closing routines can take place in whole-class discussion, small groups, individual reflections or a combination of all. 3 Ideas to Start:
|
Morning Routine
"I encourage teachers to start every class with a welcome routine. If they dedicate the first 10 minutes of every class to a consistent welcome routine, they can eliminate many of the management issues that plague teachers and reduce lost minutes at the start of the class." -Tucker
3 Ideas to Start:
- Interact with students individually in a personal way
- Teach and practice morning routines and procedures.
- Write a morning message that builds children’s excitement about the school day ahead
Daily Routine
Establishing effective classroom routines helps keep your classroom running smoothly and ensures that no time is wasted while students wonder what they should be doing during times of transition. Classroom routines can be established for many activities.
3 Ideas to Start:
- Teach routines for entering, transitioning and exiting about the classroom.
- Practice routines in their environment.
- Movement; preparing for and leaving the classroom.
Closing Routine
Closing routines provide an opportunity to re-establish connection, summarize key concepts, reflect on emotions, and set academic and personal goals. Closing routines can take place in whole-class discussion, small groups, individual reflections or a combination of all.
3 Ideas to Start:
- Teach routines for entering, transitioning and exiting about the classroom.
- Practice routines in their environment.
- Movement; preparing for and leaving the classroom.
Connection Resources: Relationship Builders
As you know, strong relationships are the bread and butter of teaching, without them everything seems so much harder. It is hard to build those over Zoom when kids have their cameras off, are distracted or disconnected. Please consider the following ideas to help build student connection!
Mental Health Check-Ins We want to give students permission to feel and can do this by creating a safe, caring virtual environment. Prompt discussions about the ups and downs of daily life. Be sure to share yours. Students can share their roses/thorns, peaks/pits, highs/lows, etc. | Interest Breakout Rooms Based upon the data you collected on student interests, create several general discussion topics (such as sports or music) and give students 5-10 minutes to share about their interests in small-group breakout rooms using Zoom. | Say Their Name During synchronous sessions, greet each student every time. We can’t stand at the door, but we can acknowledge their presence. A quick, “____ (insert name), I’m glad you’re here” ensures every child feels seen. |
Mental Health Check-Ins
We want to give students permission to feel and can do this by creating a safe, caring virtual environment. Prompt discussions about the ups and downs of daily life. Be sure to share yours. Students can share their roses/thorns, peaks/pits, highs/lows, etc.
Interest Breakout Rooms
Based upon the data you collected on student interests, create several general discussion topics (such as sports or music) and give students 5-10 minutes to share about their interests in small-group breakout rooms using Zoom.
Student Engagement Ideas
Activities to engage students during remote learning
