“In this class, we share, we love, we laugh, and we grow. We are all in this together. We are all good. And we can all be successful,” say my students and I as we begin class. This is our motto, and it’s one of my favorite things to do with my class. We sign the motto in American Sign Language (ASL) as we say it.

I wrote this motto based on what I wanted for my students and how I felt about them. It’s a great classroom management tool for me because it's helping me build relationships with my students. It helps us start the day on a positive note. 

When I start saying our motto, the students immediately chime in; I don't have to remind them to say it with me. It’s become a great tradition in my classes. 

During our class motto, I make eye contact with kids who seem to be in a bad mood. Maybe I saw a student having a rough time while I was on duty that morning or one that I'm trying to work with on positive behavior. I especially make sure that I look at those kids when we say the “we’re all good” part of the motto.  

I do this to build confidence and uplift the mood of the students who’re having a rough morning. I do it to remind my students that they’re capable of positive behavior. Our class motto is a great opportunity for my students to know that someone believes in them, no matter what kind of day they’re having. 

I've also taught the kids to look around the room and make eye contact with each other. So, we start our class with that connection, positive energy, and a positive message. Our class motto has helped us develop a student-teacher relationship built on compassion and trust. I want to make sure that they feel safe and valued in my classroom. 

I feel like this has been a great classroom management tool for me. You can implement a motto in your classroom, but you don’t have to write your own if writing is not your biggest strength. There are numerous class motto models online. Feel free to steal this one as well.