InClass

Valentines don’t need to be perfectly crafted by Hallmark or Papyrus. Refine your students’ literacy skills this Feb. 14.

Paper, scissors, glue, and markers — that’s about all you need to get your students writing this holiday. Pre-made valentines are great and easy (did we mention we love the ones that come with candy inside?), but there’s nothing better than a hand-written note. If you already have a jam-packed schedule for Valentine’s Day, reserve just five to 10 minutes to grant your students some creative liberty.

Regardless of age, kindergarten or high school, ask your students to choose a staff member on campus. Then, decide whether you want leaners to team up or go solo in the note-writing venture.

• For the littlest of learners, ask them to include one word that describes the selected person, along with an original picture.


• For middle school, prompt students to carefully construct a few sentences that explain why this person is important to their education experience.


• High schoolers don’t have to be left out of arts and crafts time. Ask the teenagers to include a new vocabulary word in the memo.


• Or, if you’re a foreign language teacher, require the note to be written in two languages.

However you execute the task, use this holiday to brighten a colleague’s day. Simply deliver the valentines during your lunch or prep — you’ll thank us for the extra steps after you eat half your weight in chocolate!