W

The First

10
Minutes
A Classroom Morning Routine that Reaches and Teaches the Whole Child

Steve Reifman

Copyright 2012 by Steve Reifman All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

About the Author

Steve Reifman is a National Board Certified elementary school teacher, writer, and speaker in Santa Monica, CA. Steve is the author of several resource books for educators, including Changing Kids Lives One Quote at a Time and Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning, K-8. He is also the creator of the Chase Manning Mystery Series for children 8-12 years of age. Each book in the series features a single-day, real-time thriller that occurs on an elementary school campus. You can find weekly Teaching Tips, blog posts, and other valuable resources and strategies for teaching the whole child at http:// stevereifman.com. Follow Steve on Twitter under the username: @stevereifman.

Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................... 2 Part 1: The Morning Check-in........................................................ 3 Part 2: Inspiring Discussions that Build Character, Purpose, and Motivation.................................................................... 4 Part 3: The Movement Warm-up..................................................... 18 Conclusion.......................................................................................23

Introduction
A consistent, effective morning routine sets the tone for the upcoming school day and prepares students for high quality learning. In this book I describe a three-part routine that reaches and teaches the whole child. Part 1 introduces the morning check-in, an activity that addresses the affective domain by building a sense of inclusion and mutual caring, strengthening teamwork, increasing class bonding, and helping each child feel acknowledged and valued. Part 2 features three types of class discussions that focus on moral and character development and emphasize strong work habits and social skills. The goals of these brief conversations are to inspire children to maximize their amazing potential, build a sense of purpose, and increase student motivation to learn and succeed. Part 3 adds a physical component to this routine that both energizes and de-stresses children to help them achieve an ideal mindset for academic learning. After completing this warm-up routine, students will be calm, relaxed, focused, and confident.

Part 1: The Morning Check-in

Once my students enter the room and store their belongings, we begin our daily routine with a variation of a team-building activity from Jeanne Gibbs wonderful book Tribes. I was fortunate to discover the Tribes program prior to my first year of teaching, and I have started every school day of my 18-year career with the following exercise. Using a 1-10 scale, each student checks in with the group by sharing a number expressing how he or she is doing that day. A 10 means life could not be better. I am happy, energetic, and ready to have a great day. On the other hand, a 1 means that a serious issue is occurring. Perhaps I am sick, upset, or troubled by something at home. From their assigned circle spots on our class carpet, the kids pick any number between one and ten, fractions and decimals included, to share with the group. I ask everyone to sit in a circle so that all the kids can make eye contact with one another. Students who do not wish to participate have the freedom to pass. Going around the circle takes just a minute or two because the kids are saying only numbers; they arent revealing the reasons behind their numbers, thus preserving everyones right to privacy. I am always on the lookout for low numbers so that, as the day unfolds, I can offer these students comfort and cheer to boost their spirits. I encourage the kids to do the same. This activity builds a sense of inclusion and mutual caring. It also strengthens the bonds among team members. Whenever possible, I try to find time in the afternoon to go around the circle again so we can determine whether there have been any changes from the morning. Every now and then, children who began as a 2 or 3, for example, will report that their numbers increased throughout the day because a classmate noticed them and made an effort to improve their mood. My students and I refer to these people as battery chargers. Kids love filling this important role, and they appreciate working in a learning environment where others look after their well-being.

Part 2: Inspiring Discussions That Build Character, Purpose, and Motivation

After we say our numbers, I ask the kids to move from their assigned circle spots into rows so that everyone can see the board in the front of the room. I then do the lunch count, make any necessary announcements, and provide an overview of our schedule. Next, depending on the day, we will either discuss our Quote of the Day, Tower of Opportunity, or Class Mission Statement. Generally, we talk about the quotes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Tower on Wednesdays, and the Mission Statement on Fridays. (Mondays are reserved for introducing other types of information that lie outside the scope of this book.) Each whole-class conversation takes approximately 5-8 minutes, centers on the habits and ideas that comprise the foundation of our team, reinforces the important purposes we are serving by attending school, and starts our day on a positive, uplifting note.

The Quote of the Day

Over the past several years, discussing the Quote of the Day has become one of the very favorite parts of my job. The exercise starts when I present the days quote on the board. These sayings come from a variety of sources and relate to and reinforce important ideas, such as character, quality, success, and health & wellness. After a volunteer reads the quote, I give everyone a few moments to think about its meaning and relevance. Next, we do a pair-share to maximize participation in the activity, and then I call on several students to share their thoughts with the group. In these whole-class discussions students may choose to identify the habit or larger idea the quote addresses, offer interpretations of the quotes meaning, or share examples demonstrating how the quote applies to their daily lives. It is important to emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers.

Though the conversations take only a few minutes, the exercise is a valuable one because it encourages kids to think deeply, because there is an uplifting tone to the dialogue that appeals to the best in people, and because it allows the group to start the day on a positive note. Further payoffs to consistent use of this activity include better student behavior, stronger work habits and social skills, improved attitudes towards school, greater enthusiasm for and increased dedication to learning, more connections made between school and students present and future lives, and enhanced vocabulary development. My belief in the effectiveness of this activity to bring out the best in children, develop lasting habits, and help establish an enthusiastic, productive, team-oriented classroom culture led me to write the book Changing Kids Lives One Quote at a Time so that teachers everywhere could enjoy these same benefits. This resource features 121 inspirational sayings that target 13 Habits of Character, a list that includes Cooperation, Courage, Fairness, Honesty, Kindness, Patience, Perseverance, Positive Attitude, Pride, Respect, Responsibility, Self-discipline, and Service. In addition, the quotes touch on other important ideas, such as quality, success, and health & wellness. From beginning to end, the quotes spiral through these topics to empower children with multiple opportunities to think about and discuss each one. Each page of the book contains an inspirational quote and a corresponding set of talking points that readers may choose to use for reference when discussing the quotes with children. Below I am including the books first five quotes, along with their talking points, so you can give these conversations a try with your students.
Quote #1 If you'll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives. -Vince Lombardi Pride A great quote to discuss at the beginning of a new school year. Discussing this quote helps establish a culture of high expectations and lets students know that their very best effort is expected every day. While this idea of maintaining the highest standard of effort may begin as a classroom expectation, the goal is for students to internalize it so that it eventually becomes a personal expectation.
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Quote #2 It is better to light a candle than to complain about the darkness. -R. Herzog

Positive Attitude This is another great quote to discuss at the beginning of a new school year. Discussing this quote helps your students develop a problem-solving orientation and empowers children to take action when schools and lifes inevitable challenges arise. Students will be more likely to solve their own problems and less likely to complain or sit helplessly once this type of problem-solving orientation is established in your classroom culture.

Quote #3 Victories that are easy are cheap. Those only are worth having which come as the result of hard work. -Henry Ward Beecher Perseverance Discussing this quote helps students understand that nothing worthwhile ever comes easily. Consistent hard work will be necessary to reach demanding goals. It is important for students to know that they wont be able to achieve many of their goals in a day or a week or a month; they will need to keep plugging away consistently, over time, to realize the results they are seeking. Sometimes working hard is interesting and exhilarating; sometimes its not. Either way, we keep going with all our might.

Quote #4 One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in my bank account, or what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I cared enough to try to make a difference. -Author unknown Service Discussing this quote can help students reflect on what is truly important in their lives. Of course, having money, shelter, and clothing is important, and if students want to make a lot of money and live in a big house, more power to them. Hopefully, though, they will also value service and try to make a difference in the lives of others. Take a minute to brainstorm with your students various types of service that they already perform or that they may wish to provide as they get older.

Quote #5 The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little EXTRA! -Bonnie Hopper

Self-discipline Some students may quickly recognize the word play involved in this quote and notice how by adding the word extra to the word ordinary, the word extraordinary is formed. The message of this quote is another that we should strive to build into the culture of our classrooms early each school year: By consistently adding that little extra effort, putting in a little extra time, and caring a little bit more about our work, we can accomplish extraordinary things in the long run.

The Tower of Opportunity

The Tower of Opportunity is a four-sided, seven-story structure that my architect friend helped me create several years ago to serve as a powerful visual metaphor for children about the importance of doing well in school. The Tower provides a tangible, novel way for teachers to help kids better understand the purposes of their learning, find meaning in their work, and connect what they are learning in school to their goals for the future. Because of the need to keep the size of this PDF file small, I am unable to provide photos of the Tower, but you can click here to see photos of two of the Towers sides. In addition, I have a complete template of the Towers four sides, from which you can make copies for your students, fold the sides into a freestanding replica, or design a larger model for your classroom. If you would like to receive a copy of the template, please e-mail me. In the near future, I hope to find a way to market the Tower so that you will be able to have one in your own classroom. Each floor of the Tower features one of the seven life roles that Dale Parnell defines in his terrific book Why Do I Have to Learn This? Each role (e.g., Citizen, Lifelong Learner, Worker, Consumer, Family Member & Friend, Leisure Participant, and Individual) connects to a set of responsibilities that all individuals occupy in their lives. The role names occupy one side of the tower while specific examples of each role occupy the other three. The examples of each role are printed on doors that include tiny doorknobs. The design of the tower allows us, as teachers, to convey the message that life is rich with opportunities, choices, and options, but that in order to take advantage of these opportunities, maximize our choices, and give ourselves the greatest number of options, we need an education. Put simply, education is the key that opens doors. The harder we work in school and the more we learn, the more doors we can open for ourselves. Each Wednesday my students and I focus on a specific aspect of the Tower and discuss how what we are learning in class connects in some way to our goals for the future. Every time we do, I am able to remind students of the numerous ways in which their learning can be put to use and the numerous reasons why learning matters so much. When teachers use the Tower with students, we expand their perspective and encourage them to think beyond their present reality. Furthermore, we provide them with a glimpse of what a productive, well-rounded life can look like.

Please note that in addition to these scheduled discussions, the structure was designed to be used as a significant reference point that teachers and students revisit frequently. Sometimes conversations involving the Tower can occur spontaneously - at the start of a new unit or project, for example, or when we choose to discuss an item we heard on the news, share a personal story, or try to capitalize on a learnable moment. The goal is for the Tower to maintain a consistent presence in the classroom throughout the year. Below you will find specific topics you may wish to discuss during your weekly Tower Talks.

Tower Time Topics

Tower Introduction: I provide a brief introduction and overview of each role and focus on 1 role per week for the first seven weeks of school. Arrangement of floors: I explain the bottom-to-top sequence of roles. While the potential certainly exists for people assuming any role to make a difference in the lives of others, the roles located on the bottom tend to focus primarily on individual needs, goals, and priorities while those higher on the tower tend to involve progressively larger numbers of people. I am the first to concede that this order is rough at best, but I believe it benefits children to arrange the roles in this manner to highlight the idea of service. As long as we discuss the inexactness of the sequence with students so that they dont view the order as being overly rigid, there shouldnt be any problem. Zooming in: I focus on specific floors or doors that may hold special significance. During an election year, for example, conversations can center on the role of citizen. Specifically, teachers and students can discuss candidates, issues, voting procedures, and how education and the importance of an education connect to them. If we dont have time in our schedules for a full elections unit, we can use Tower Time for brief discussions, presentations, and sharing of information and opinions.
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Tower Time Topics (Continued)

Learning Connections: The students and I connect what we are currently learning in class to future goals or larger purposes. Open Forum: Periodically, I have the students pick a role or door and connect it to something currently happening at school or in their lives outside of school. Upcoming events: When I mention upcoming local events (e.g., The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books) or institutions (e.g., museums, libraries), I can connect them to one or more roles on the Tower. Articles: Information found in newspaper or magazine articles can tie in well with the emphases of the Tower. For example, every year I share an article describing a study that compares the cumulative earnings, life expectancies, and health of people who graduate from high school with those of individuals who dont. Very powerful. Biographies: Sometimes I read short biographies or excerpts of biographies about well-known individuals and highlight the role that education played in helping these people achieve their successes. A Glimpse of the Future Discussions: Teachers select a role and students share their goals or plans with regard to that role. For example, if I select the role of Lifelong Learner, students can share a college they hope to attend or an academic area they wish to pursue. If I select the role of Worker, kids can share the types of jobs they want. If we are discussing the role of Family Member & Friend or Citizen, the children can talk about the contributions they want to make to their families and communities.

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Class Mission Statements

School is probably the only organized activity in a childs life where the purposes of attending are not immediately obvious. In little league, band practice, and drama club, for example, kids can quickly figure out that they attend practices and rehearsals to prepare for upcoming games and performances. In school students prepare for the future, but the link between todays preparation and tomorrows performance is not always clear. As a result, teachers must make a concerted effort to establish a sense of purpose, and the best way to accomplish this task is to write a class mission statement and refer to it consistently throughout the year. A mission statement is an organizations formal statement of purpose. According to Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First, mission statements capture what you want to be and what you want to do...and the principles upon which being and doing are based. A class mission statement describes your highest priorities and includes the major goals and ideas that identify yours as a unique group of people. The document enables students to see themselves not just as individuals, but also as contributing parts to a greater whole. Developing the mission statement provides individuals with an opportunity to envision ways their combined talents and energies can make a difference. Sadly, many teachers have not had the opportunity to use a mission statement to its full potential. Oftentimes, mission statements are presented to school staffs by administrators, and employees are asked to embrace the documents, even though they had no chance to offer any input during the creation process. With no input, there is no ownership, no emotional investment, and no buy-in. To make matters worse, after mission statements are presented with great fanfare, they are frequently put in a drawer and forgotten. If you have experienced a situation similar to the one I have described, please keep an open mind as you read the rest of this section. When we are in our own classrooms, we can create these documents with everyones involvement, refer to them throughout the year, and achieve maximum impact. Without a doubt working on this project every year with my students is the single most valuable activity I do in my classroom and the most powerful move I make to establish a sense of purpose. I have found that a four-day process works well for creating a Class Mission Statement. My students and I write ours during the first full week of the school year. I provide a sample on page 17.

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Day 1 Begin the process of creating your class mission statement by discussing the word mission. I have found that kids more easily understand the term when I introduce it as part of the phrase on a mission. I tell them that when people are on a mission, they are determined to accomplish something important. I accompany my definition with examples of historical figures, athletes, and other well-known individuals who were determined to accomplish important goals, names such as Martin Luther King, Jr.; Susan B. Anthony; and Michael Jordan. Next, I ask students to share personal stories of when they have been on a mission. I then explain that when groups of people come together to work as a team, they frequently create something called a mission statement to describe the important things that they want to accomplish. Next, working either alone or in pairs or small groups, students answer the questions listed below. Who are we? Why is it important to come to school to learn? What goals are we determined to reach together? What kind of class do we want to be? What actions and behaviors must we demonstrate each day to reach our goals? The kids will later draw on their responses to these questions when they create the first draft of the class mission statement. I also include these five questions in our weekly homework packet so students have an opportunity to discuss and expand on their ideas with family members. Sending the questions home with the kids accomplishes the following: 1) it gets parents and children talking about fundamental issues that too often go undiscussed, 2) it involves parents early in the school year in a meaningful project and shows them that you value their participation in the educational process, 3) it greatly increases the likelihood that the kids will generate high quality, thoughtful responses. Days 2 &3 Show the kids 4-8 corporate and organizational mission statements to familiarize everyone with the format and substance of this type of writing. Mission statements are readily available in stores and restaurants, as well as online. Try to use examples from companies with which children are familiar, such as Disney. Emphasize to your kids that groups of people create these documents to describe who they are and what they want to become.
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As you read through these examples with your students, chart or highlight the words and phrases that the kids think would be appropriate for a class mission statement. Pay special attention to powerful language that conveys high expectations. Day 4 Now, it is time for the kids, working either alone or in pairs or small groups, to use the answers to the five questions from Day 1 and the charted words from the samples on Day 2 and Day 3 to begin drafting the class mission statement. In our class, Day 4 usually falls on a Friday, and many children also bring in sheets with the responses they generated with their parents as part of their homework. I give students several choices as to how they wish to contribute to the drafting process. I believe it is appropriate to differentiate the process at this point due to variations in childrens readiness and in their overall comfort level with this type of project. Encourage your most ambitious students to try to write a complete class mission statement. These multi-paragraph efforts should address all five of the previously mentioned questions and include many of the words and phrases you charted. Kids who undertake this challenge, however, should also include thoughts and ideas of their own. Nobody should feel bound or constrained by these other two sets of ideas. Sometimes, the sentences that best convey the mission of the class are those that students create all by themselves. Students who may not feel confident or comfortable enough to create an entire mission statement can still make an equally valuable contribution to the project by choosing one of the other drafting alternatives. With these options, the students should still draw from their responses to the five questions, the charted words, and their own imaginations. One great option is for the kids to list individual words that they want to see in the final class statement; another gives children a chance to write individual phrases and sentences. The latter two options can also be combined, affording students the opportunity to write individual words and short phrases and sentences. A final possibility allows kids to begin by listing words and then follow up by connecting pairs of words to form short phrases. For example, if a child listed the words achieve and quality, she could then draw a line connecting them, thus creating the phrase achieve quality. Regardless of which option the kids choose, the students should feel no pressure there is no right or wrong. This time is simply an opportunity for each child to offer input as to how the final statement will read. Motivation will be high as the kids work seriously to craft a class statement. Your students will appreciate the chance to do something they view as adult.
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The last step in the missioning process requires us, the teachers, to read the drafts and combine them into a formal class statement. You will notice from the students papers that several major themes recur. In the final draft include these commonly expressed ideas, as well as any outstanding words, phrases, or sentences that appear only once or twice. Creating the final draft is not an easy task. At first, you may find yourself with a mission statement that is fifteen pages long because you didnt want to leave out anyones input, or you may not know where to start because you see so many fine ideas spread out in front of you. To simplify the task, I create a sheet with the five questions printed on it. As I read each students paper, I take the best ideas and write them under the questions that those ideas address. Enlarge and laminate the class mission statement you create from your students ideas so that it can occupy a prominent place on the front wall and front door of your classroom for the entire year. The first time you read it with the class, you will notice something special occur. Because you took the time to have the kids answer the same five questions, charted words from the same sample statements, and provided the opportunity for the students to incorporate these words into their own drafts, every single child will be able to look at some part of the final version and say, I had that. or That word came from mine. or That sentence was from mine. This creates shared ownership. There is a realization that everyone contributed to the final draft. As Stephen Covey puts it, the process changes us. It changes our relationships with others who are part of it. Covey also notes, It bonds people together. It gives them a sense of unity and purpose that provides great strength in times of challenge. The missioning process produces a powerful founding document. According to Covey, the statement now becomes the constitution, the criteria for decision making in the group. Its words will guide us throughout the school year, helping to keep everyone focused on what it is we are here to accomplish. It is our map that shows us the way in times of trouble and uncertainty. Our mission statement establishes our identity as a unique group of people with a unique sense of purpose. It reminds us of the combined actions we need to take if we are to live up to the high expectations we set for ourselves. It is the ultimate reference point.

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Once you have unveiled the entire statement and read it with your students, commit time once a week to reviewing it as a class. As I mentioned previously, I incorporate these conversations into our morning circle time every Friday. The process takes only about five minutes, and the results are powerful. During this time we never read the whole statement. Instead, I ask my students to focus on a specific word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph. Once I have identified our focus for that morning, I will ask the students to offer examples of how they have brought that idea to life that week, describe how we can improve in that area, or connect that idea to some aspect of our classroom environment. Some weeks, instead of selecting a focus in advance, I ask the kids to share any part of the mission statement that happens to jump out to them. During these open forum conversations, students can choose a word or phrase from any paragraph and explain why it stood out to them. In the first half of the year, I tend to do most of the choosing because I want to familiarize the kids with all the major ideas in the statement and go into great depth with them. Later in the year, I like to have more open forum discussions. A few final points before I wrap up this section. Keep in mind that a mission statement represents an ideal. Our classes will have to make a concerted, consistent effort to bring this ideal to life. None of our aspirations will happen automatically. Each student must do his or her part each day - quality is everyones responsibility. The mission statement cannot just be words on a piece of paper. For a class to realize its mission, the ideas contained therein must live in the hearts and minds of all group members. As Covey notes, these lofty ideas must constantly be translated from the mission to the moment. In addition to your weekly mission statement discussions, take advantage of learnable moments as they arise in the classroom. If your students are showing tremendous focus during math, for example, show them the mission statement at the end of the period and connect their positive behavior to the part of the document expressing the desire to be hard workers. This type of positive recognition will build the kids confidence and self-esteem and reaffirm their commitment to bringing the mission statements ideas to life. Conversely, if your students are not cooperating well during group work time, point out how their actions are not consistent with the part of the document expressing the desire to work together. This is an excellent way to hold children accountable. The more frequently you are able to connect the kids actions to the mission statements words, the more of a presence the document will have.

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It is fine for the class mission statement to be quite long. In fact, the statement I present below is five paragraphs. We have our students for a whole year, and we have plenty of Fridays to revisit our mission statement and get to know it very well. Businesses that post mission statements on their walls have only seconds to capture their customers attention and need their statements to be short. We have the luxury of more time, and we have different goals. I dont recommend exceeding one page, but filling up that page is perfectly acceptable. As classroom teachers, we have so many worthwhile goals and so many bases to touch with our students, it makes sense that we would want to include a large number of ideas to use throughout the year as reference points. In a typical daily classroom activity each student will produce his or her own piece of work, such as a math sheet or a writing exercise. Sometimes, partners or small groups will collaborate on a project, but rarely does every child in the class have the opportunity to contribute energy and ideas to an important project that the team as a whole will use throughout the year. Writing a class mission statement offers this type of special opportunity.

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Sample Class Mission Statement

Making Great Futures for Ourselves; Doing Great Things for Others TTQ Mission Statement We are Team Total Quality. We are a community of smart, happy learners and strong leaders. We are committed to achieving the highest standard of excellence in education. You can count on us to be a serious, hard-working class and to make our school a better place. We are determined to accomplish everything. We are in third grade now, but we are already looking ahead to the future. We come to school on time ready to learn so that we can be what we want to be. The work we do matters. It helps us get smarter and prepares us for when we grow up. We want to graduate from college, get spectacular jobs, earn money, reach our goals in life, and make a difference in the world. Learning makes us successful. We do not want to be just OK. We want to be the best of the best. We always expect our class to try our hardest and never give up so that we can keep moving to higher levels. We use our time well, make intelligent decisions, and accomplish extraordinary things. We are all great people, and together we make an amazing team. Our work, effort, and behavior get better every day. We strive to create a fun, supportive, and advanced atmosphere. We love working hard on difficult challenges. We try to be outstanding at listening and self-discipline. We want to be inspiring role models for younger students. We dont do the least; we do the most. As a group of helpful, thoughtful battery-chargers, we care about one another and treat everyone as a trusted friend. We care about being proud, honorable people who act with character and integrity. We are active and positive, friendly and kind, honest and respectful, fair and giving, organized and responsible.

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Part 3: The Movement Warm-up

Once my students and I have concluded our discussions from Part 2, we rise to do the Pledge of Allegiance and then move directly to the final part of our morning routine - our movement warm-up. Consisting of four parts, this sequence prepares children mentally and physically to have a productive school day by helping them achieve an ideal mindset for learning - calm, relaxed, focused, and confident. Have your class perform each part of this warm-up for approximately 30 seconds, but feel free to adjust this time recommendation to meet your students needs.

1) Cross Crawls
Cross Crawls come from Paul Dennisons well-known Brain Gym program, specifically its PACE (Positive, Active, Clear, and Energetic) component. Brain Gym consists of a series of movements designed to help individuals relax, concentrate, and channel their energies in a positive direction. I like to begin our movement warm-up with Cross Crawling because it is the most active of our four parts, and while it benefits everyone, I have noticed that, in particular, it energizes (even wakes up) those students who may enter class a bit sleepy or lethargic. Performing Cross Crawls Standing in place, touch the left elbow to the right knee and then the right elbow to the left knee. Continue alternating in this pattern. Cross crawls should always be done slowly and under control, with excellent posture and clean contact between the elbow and knee. This movement activates both hemispheres of the brain and builds nerve networks between the two hemispheres. Many kids tend to speed up while doing Cross Crawls, thinking that faster is better or cooler. Emphasize the importance of moving slowly as they alternate in their pattern of connecting their elbows to their opposite knees.

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2) Movement Choices
In the summer of 2007, as part of the annual Elementary Physical Education Workshop held in beautiful San Luis Obispo, California, I was fortunate to attend a five-day session conducted by Jeff Haebig, BBBM (Body/Brain Boogie Man). Among the many important points he made, one that stood out to me concerned children and their need to move. Rather than fight this human tendency, teachers, according to Haebig, need to accommodate it. One way I try to do this is through the second part of our movement warm-up. Haebig describes five equally valid movement choices, and students, depending on their needs at the time, are free to perform the one matching those needs. Performing Movement Choices 1) Big, bouncy, angular movements: From a standing position, students who need to energize themselves should move their upper bodies down toward the left side of their waist, come back up, then down to the right side of their waist, come back up, and repeat. 2) Slow, back-and-forth, rocking movements: Also from a standing position, students needing to calm themselves should slowly rock their bodies back-and-forth in a straight line. Haebig uses the clever phrase Rock it to calm it to describe this movement. He also points out that when many students tip back in their chairs, this calming effect is what they are trying to achieve. Armed with this insight, I now invite kids who rock in their chairs to stand and rock (outside the room, if they prefer) to avoid the chance of falling backwards. 3) Combo: This third option allows students to combine the first two movements in whatever manner they wish in order to achieve both an energizing and calming effect. 4) Stop n Go: With this option children may select any of the previous choices and pause periodically as they move. 5) No, thank you, I prefer to watch: Some students do not need to move and should not be pressured into doing so. Standing still while others move is a perfectly legitimate choice that teachers need to honor.

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3) Deep Breathing
Now that the children have had the opportunity to energize their bodies during the first two parts of our movement warm-up routine, our goal is to help them become calm and relaxed. Deep breathing is an important part of that effort. Performing Deep Breathing The basic stance for Deep Breathing calls for students to stand tall with one hand on their belly buttons and the other on their upper chests. I also ask the kids to close their eyes to help them focus on themselves, not their friends. After all, I tell them, the whole point of this warm-up sequence is to check in with ourselves, see how we are feeling, and do what is necessary for us to have a terrific day. Many kids are understandably curious about what is going on around them and are easily distracted, so closing the eyes is a necessary step in helping them focus their attention internally, not externally. Children enjoy and benefit from trying out different variations of deep breathing to determine which one(s) they may want to use on their own in the future. Nose vs. Mouth Breathing: Try breathing in and out through only the nose, breathing through only the mouth, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, and breathing in through the mouth and out through the nose. Alternate Nose Breathing: Haebig suggests inhaling and exhaling while holding one nostril closed and then switching nostrils. Rhythmical Breathing: Haebig also recommends inhaling and exhaling for a certain number of counts. This option is my personal favorite because it requires a strong internal focus and helps students develop impressive control of their breathing. I suggest starting with a small number of counts and increasing the number as the kids gain proficiency.

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4) Hook-ups
Hook-ups also come from Paul Dennisons Brain Gym program. Because Hook-ups comprise the final part of our movement warm-up and I know we are about to head to our first academic activity (usually math), I add an extra dimension to this exercise. While the kids are standing in Hook-up position, I have them think about the upcoming day and focus on a specific aspect of it. Sometimes I will go through the days schedule and ask them to determine one positive academic outcome they hope to achieve while at school. At other times, I will try to put them in a good mood by asking them to think about the one or two parts of our day to which they are looking forward the most, even if it is something like playing handball at recess. Most of the time, however, I will have them set a behavioral goal that will make a big difference in their day, such as being a better listener or remembering to ask for help when they need it. Since all eyes are closed during this time, I can walk around and check in privately with certain students about various behavioral issues they may be having and offer encouragement. Performing Hook-ups Place both arms straight out, thumbs facing down. Cross one arm over the other and interlock your fingers. Then, roll the locked hands straight down and in toward the body so they rest on the chest with elbows down. Cross one leg over the other and rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind the teeth. Continue breathing deeply with closed eyes.

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One Final Note About Our Morning Movements Since incorporating these four movements into our morning routine, I have noticed a significant effect on the childrens ability to work in a calm, productive manner. We also use these movements throughout the day, either at predetermined times, such as before assessments, or as the need arises. In addition, the movements are wonderful problemsolving tools. Instead of becoming frustrated with students who have the tendency to lose their concentration and distract their classmates, for example, I now give them the option to stand outside the room for a few moments and do one or the more of the movements until they have regained their focus. I specifically recall one young boy from a few years back who frequently got in trouble with his previous teachers because concentrating for an extended period of time was extremely difficult for him and he became fidgety and distracting. Consequently, his stress level rose, which made it even harder for him to focus. One day, early in the year, he and I had a private talk, and I told him that he could go outside anytime he felt himself losing focus and do one of the morning movements. After a while, he would just get up from his chair on his own, step outside, and come back in a minute ready to go. Once he realized that he could do this without my permission and that he was the one in total control of his behavior, his focus improved and his confidence increased significantly.

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Conclusion
After the kids have finished their Hook-ups, they are fully prepared to sit back down and pay attention to our first academic lesson of the day. In approximately ten minutes they have had the opportunity to check in with one another on a social-emotional level, discuss important ideas that address issues of character, purpose, and motivation, and energize and relax their bodies.

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