One of my favorite Barrow traditions is choosing a class name. We have spent a few weeks together, building a community and getting to know each other better. We are learning each others’ likes and dislikes, finding shared interests, and connecting through play. Now, we are ready to choose a name that captures our unique class personality!
Deciding on the name…
“Right now, when teachers need to get your attention, we say, ‘Purple Room.’ So we might say, ‘Purple Room, it’s time to line up!,’ or, ‘Purple Room, five more minutes!’ But we think that we can decide on a name that feels more special to us as a group. Because names are important and they can reflect who we are. So let’s think about some things that are special or important to us as a class.”
“Spiderman”
“Skeletons”
“Mickey and Minnie Mouse”
“Momma”
“Dada”
“Superheroes”
“Unicorns”
“Ghost spiders”
“Spin”
“Super kitties”
“Blippy”
“Popcorn”
“The Boopies”
We spent a few days letting these ideas marinate, then reviewed the list at a class meeting. The two that seemed to resonate the most with the class were: Ghost Spiders and The Boopies. With this narrowed-down list, we did a trial run of each choice to see which felt ‘just right.’
“Sometimes, when we’re making a big decision, it’s important to do a preview. So let’s try out each of these names, to see which one feels the most like us.”
Voting…
We voted on our two choices this afternoon. Over the last two weeks, your kids have been practicing voting to make various choices. One morning, we voted on taking the stairs versus the elevator. Another morning, we voted on two different books to read for story. Yet another morning, we voted on three Jack-O-Lantern options for carving our pumpkin.
Within the voting experience, we practice:
* Making choices
* Taking turns
* Counting
* Comparing numbers (which quantity is greater?)
* Moving through feelings of disappointment or frustration when our choice doesn’t win
* Real world connections, as children hear grownups talk about voting and even visit the voting booths with their adults
So, which name do you think won?
