Makeovers

Do you ever end/start a school year thinking you need to give some aspect of your classroom/routine/program a complete makeover? I often feel that way about Star of the Week and birthdays.

Ironically our Star of the Week program and our birthday celebrations are a few of the only things we do in class that really honor individual kids. (sad, I know). We also do family projects, which I love, but I always end up feeling like celebrating birthdays and carving out space for students to do all of their Star of the Week duties cuts into what we "have to get done." I don't like feeling that way, but I do. I think it stems from the fact that celebrating student birthdays (aside from being a frustrating exercise in coercing parents to actually follow the rules about not bringing cupcakes and giving advance notice) results in some kids having birthday treats in class (those whose families can/choose to afford snacks/bring them in) and some kids not having that special attention. As the teacher, I leave it up to parents and don't really do a whole lot to celebrate birthdays unless parents initiate it. #teacherfail

Sometimes I feel like we have 2 hours 20 minutes...celebrate your birthday at home. #grinchteacher
(And, I really don't like serving the kids any kind of unhealthy treat at 10:30 in the morning before they've had lunch).

So, I feel the need to come up with a different approach because of all people, Mrs. Sneaker sure understands the importance of celebrating birthdays and feeling special on your birthday. I need to do something different so that kids get recognized regardless of whether their parents bring in a snack. (sidenote: I have developed an annoyance with any kind of snacks at school due to various allergies and healthy snack preferences that require me to store and provide "special" snacks to various kids. I understand allergies, but when it's parents avoiding food coloring and other such preferences whose children then tell me they can have the snack and clearly feel bad that I'm giving them something different that their parent provided it just makes me feel like serving snack is a chore).

So, this year I am really think about putting the kabosh on birthday snacks altogether and doing a birthday board instead where I prepare a little baggy for each kid containing a special pencil, eraser, sticker etc. for them to receive on their special day. That way every kid gets acknowledged. That way, if I have children who don't celebrate birthdays, they don't have to leave the room while the rest of us eat a cookie and sing happy birthday. This is what I have in mind. I don't know if I would do it exactly like that, but similar.

 I also like the idea of a birthday chair like these.

I found all these photos on Pinterest. I'm not sure what the etiquette is for giving credit/linking to the source, so please know they aren't my photos and I am giving snaps to their creators!!

I know that I routinely complain about birthdays and the various "cupcake incidents" we've had even after making a rule that they are not allowed because they are so messy not to mention unhealthy. But, this year I am trying to make it into something different because if we only do a few things that really honor individual kids, we certainly need to continue doing those things. 

I hope parents are understanding if I don't allow birthday snacks, but I am hopeful that they can understand my wanting every single kid to get acknowledged in the same way. And, I don't want to end up having 5 birthday snacks within the first 3 weeks of school like last year. 

What are you giving a makeover for this coming school year?

Do you have any creative ideas for celebrating birthdays?