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Using Morning Affirmations to Build Classroom Community

TEACHING STRATEGIES VIDEO SERIES

In Erin Trudeau's bilingual 3rd grade classroom, students start each day repeating affirmations. Señora Trudeau describes how the practice has impacted students' self-talk and interactions with their peers, and the positive impact it has had on the sense of community in her classroom.

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  • Using Morning Affirmations to Build Classroom Community

    This video has captions. You can turn them on by clicking the captions icon at the bottom of the video.
    Download a printable transcript in English or Spanish.

    Teacher: ¡Tú vas a pasar un día increíble! (You’re going to have an amazing day!)
    Students: ¡Yo voy a pasar un día increíble! (I’m going to have an amazing day!)

    Using Morning Affirmations to Build Classroom Community

    Erin Trudeau, 3rd Grade Teacher, North Windham Elementary School: We start with our morning affirmations, and so students repeat after me. And we’re saying things like, “I am strong; I am powerful. Puedo hacer cosas difíciles; I can do hard things.”

    Ms. Trudeau: ¡Tú eres capaz! (You are capable!)
    Students: ¡Yo soy capaz! (I am capable!)

    Erin Trudeau: It really sounds like a small thing, but changes the way that students talk to themselves, then the way that you think about themselves, and then the way that you talk to others and think about others.

    Ms. Trudeau: ¡Tú eres inteligente! (You are smart!)
    Students: ¡Yo soy inteligente! (I am smart!)

    Erin Trudeau: The way that I’ve been trying to teach them to talk to themselves and talk to each other is translating to how students speak to each other. So, you know, I’ll hear kids being defeated about something, and “I can’t do that,” and someone else comes, “I can’t do that YET, right?” Or like, “Growth mindset!” Or they’ll come up and say, “You can do hard things!”

    Ms. Trudeau: ¡Tú eres fuerte! (You are strong!)
    Children: ¡Yo soy fuerte! (I am strong!)

    Erin Trudeau: When a student is crying or somebody is upset, every single one of my students pops up, like, “What can I do to help?” They’ll come, and they’ll be rubbing their back. So you just see that compassion and that empathy that we’ve been trying to cultivate as a community. And they’re showing those things in their third-grade way. It’s really cool.

    © 2022 Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut State University
    May be reprinted for educational purposes.

  • Producer and Scriptwriter: Julia DeLapp
    Editor and Videographer: Ken Measimer

    The Center wishes to thank Señora Trudeau and the staff, students, and families at North Windham Elementary School who helped make this video possible.