
Last Friday we celebrated Gage's birthday. I realized then that I hadn't written about out tradition of celebrating birthdays. It is one of my very favorite things we do in class. Here's how it goes:
• The birthday student sits in the center of the rug.
• Everyone else sits around the rug looking at the birthday student.
• As you know, our class mascot is the ever loving rubber ducky. I begin the celebration by holding the duck and telling one thing I like/love about the birthday student.
• Then, I give the duck a squeeze and pass it to the next person who says what they like about the birthday student...squeeze it...pass it on.
• OPTIONAL: if the birthday student has brought a treat for the class, they pass it out to their fellow classmate after receiving the comment.
• Once the duck makes it around the circle, I wipe off the germs with a Clorox wipe and give it to the birthday student.
• Next, The birthday student gets to stand on top of the table while we all sing Happy Birthday complete with the whole "cha cha cha".
Voila! That's how it happens. We all love it. And, it only takes about 15 minutes.