Your “Opening the Day” Ceremony: The Transition Between Daily Life and School

“Ceremony creates an intellectual and emotional order for the schooling activity so that the group is focused upon learning and community life.”    — Ralph Peterson

Wise, caring teachers carefully plan an “Opening the Day” ceremony that acknowledges each child and brings them together into a caring community where there are specific ways of doing things.  There is order and respect—and everyone is included.  Carefully chosen songs are often incorporated:

Songs that affirm the value of friends:

The More We Get Together1 –Signed and sung in English and Spanish, this provides a joyful shared song.  Invite the children to add verses.  What else can we do together?  (The more we sing together, the happier we’ll be… The more we read together, the smarter we’ll be…)  Add the children’s names as a final chorus “There's Amy and Hannah and Joshua and Ethan and… The more we get together the happier we'll be!”

The Flag Salute and songs that affirm patriotism and celebrate diversity:

De Colores (The Colors)1 – All children deserve to know this beautiful and perhaps best-loved song in the Spanish-speaking world.  Children can hold hands and sway as they sing the lovely melody.  The meaningful lyrics make this anthem of the United Farm Workers of America memorable.

Hola Mis Amigos/Hello My Friend – Honor the English and Spanish language with this greeting song that teaches familiar phrases.

America the Beautiful2 –Sing and sign this memorable patriotic song.  Explore the symbols of America in the picture book by Kathryn Bates.

Calendar rituals can include signing The Days of the Week tune (sing to the tune of The Addam’s Family theme): 

Days of the week (snap, snap).  Days of the week (snap, snap).  Days of the week.  Days of the week.  Days of the week (snap, snap).  There’s Sunday and there’s Monday… and then there’s Saturday.  (Repeat beginning “Days of the week” chant.)

Day:  The horizontal arm represents the surface of the earth.  The moving hand represents the movement of the sun across the sky during the day.

Week:  The index finger slides across the hand to indicate one row (a week) on a calendar.

Sunday:  Both palms are held outward and circled (in and out).

Monday:  Make a small clockwise circle with the “m” hand  (circular motion suggests passing of time).

Tuesday:  “T” hand - circular motion.        Wednesday:  “W” hand - circular motion.

Thursday:  Use the “h” hand or “t” then “h” hand with or without small clockwise circle.

Friday:  “F” hand - circular motion.           Saturday:  “S” hand - circular motion.

What special songs, rhymes, sayings, and rituals do your children anticipate —every morning— as part of your “Opening the Day” ceremony?