Three classroom routines for K–2 that actually land

Morning feelings check-in

Three minutes at the start of the day. Children put a clothespin on a simple chart: calm, curious, restless, tired. The teacher doesn’t comment. The information alone changes how the day gets taught.

Repair circle

When something hard happens between two children, they sit at a two-seat bench (not the teacher’s desk). They each say what they saw, what they felt, and what they need. The teacher mediates only if asked.

End-of-day gratitude

Two minutes. One sentence per child: “Something I appreciated today was ___.” Quick, specific, named aloud.