"I believe in the "Make Your Day" program. It helped me to be a better teacher and it helped my kindergartners to be better learners. It is an effective tool that helps children feel good about doing their best. It focuses not only on the positive behaviors, but it also allows for mistakes.

From an early age children learn to take responsibility for their actions. They feel proud when they make their day and learn to make better choices when they don't. Children know what is expected of them and it helps improve behaviors at school and at home, too!

I saw so much improvement schoolwide that I proudly wore my school t-shirt: I made my day at Larkspur School."

-----Gail Gregory

Retired Kindergarten Teacher

MYD Kindergarten Trainer

Visual Aids

Gail Gregory, a wonderful kindergarten teacher for many years at Larkspur Elementary School in Paradise Valley School District, Arizona, determined that her students needed more than words to remind them of the expectations for the classroom and the common areas.  She made posters to remind the students, along with her stated expectations, how they could do what was expected and earn points.  Within the classroom, Gail had specific expectations for students at Tables, in the Classroom, at the Listening Center, and for Centers and Choosing time.  For common areas, she made posters for Lining Up and Hallway expectations.

Based on Gail's experience with kindergartners she would make the following recommendations:

• State expectations before all lessons and activities.

• Use a chart with sentences and pictures to show your expectations.

• When students start to lose focus, do another set of points to repeat expectations and reset the tone in the classroom.  (MYD Note:  You can do points too few times, but you can't do them too many times.)

• Review expectations for behavior during points before you ask how many points are earned.