Our Elementary children begin their mornings by writing a “morning message,” which they copy from the board into their journals. The role of these messages is two-fold: one is to impart little gems of wisdom to help build the characters of our growing young minds and the other is to help them build their handwriting skills. The former will be the topic of a blog to come.
Through the transfer of the written words on the board to their journals, our children learn the art of focus and concentration. They learn to read better as they strive to understand what the words are and what they mean. The messages generate much discussion among them which helps them to articulate their opinions and even debate each other. This leads to confidence building, better use of expressions, and public speaking skills.
Our children learn the functions of words; the correct use of punctuation and how and when to capitalize their words. Very importantly, they build on their handwriting skills and it has been truly amazing to watch the day to day improvement in their handwriting. Their pencil grip becomes easier as forming their letters and writing words now come effortlessly.
Our morning messages have become integral to the learning process in our classroom. Because of its many functions, it will continue to be a vital tool of growth for our Elementary children.
