As Valentine’s Day approaches, sentiments of love and romance surround the air. Yet, it is time to flashback to the time when this day was a celebration, causing the classroom to implore both sweets and excitement. The residue of Elmer’s glue sticks to your hands, and scraps from red and pink paper hearts cover the floor. All over the classroom, shoe/cereal boxes are covered with decorations, ready to receive handfuls of chocolate and candy from fellow classmates. An elementary school Valentine’s Day is to be remembered as one full of tradition, confectionary sweets, and classroom bonding.
Though these times seem like simple traditions of the past, they pose an importance and a potential to implement more similar aspects within our current classrooms. This is due to several reasons. One being, that it allows the student to decorate something that brings out their creativity.
According to Gallup News, “85% of teachers who focus on creativity in learning and use technology in transformative ways say they often see their students engaging in problem-solving.”
Within our classroom, this could be done by creating a project that students are motivated to complete.
By bringing our own candy – or healthy and non-food related options – in, we could contribute to our community through giving. Within the current classroom, each student can bring in their individual contribution toward the project that represents an aspect of something they value.
The project/implementation could end with the interaction of students with one another, presenting it to the rest of the class and allowing one another to collaborate. Increased engagement and school spirit may have a positive effect on both the engagement of students/staff as well as academics and increased motivation through classroom participation.
According to the ‘International Journal of Education,’ “students have stated that the school culture has effects on the achievement of students in terms of motivation (will to study), sense of competition and their development in all respects.”
Now, this is not a suggestion to bring back the identical activity of elementary Valentine boxes and candy distribution. Still, it poses an opportunity to implement similar festivities that may promote creativity and student-to-student interaction, overall pursuing a spirit increase within the classroom. Through showing love and support to our peers and throughout the classroom, we have the ability to turn nostalgic adolescent activities into virtuous/educational collaboration.