“How are you feeling today?”
Mrs. Coker, a 4th grade teacher in Lumpkin County, starts every day by having her students complete a morning sign-in. The students are asked, “How are you feeling today?” If the students choose sad, angry, or nervous, they are asked to tell their teacher why they are feeling this way. Mrs. Coker uses this information to help her students solve problems and discuss their emotions. She even adds videos on confidence building, affirmation songs, or fun songs for holidays and school events.
Mrs. Coker asked her students how the morning sign-in makes them feel. Here’s what they said:
- “I like filling it out because I can tell my real feelings, and I also like it because you give us videos to watch.”
- “I like filling it out because it makes me feel good knowing I can tell someone how I feel in the mornings. I also like it because it gets me started for the day.”
- I love the morning sign-in because they make me feel like I can trust Mrs. Coker like she’s family. She helps us with our problems.”
Something as simple as asking how students are feeling each morning ensures the students feel seen and cared for. It even helps Mrs. Coker understand how she can best support her students both academically and personally. She is demonstrating how connections matter in the classroom.