There is a fine line between throwing up a word of the week and promoting a positive learning environment for our students that does nurture educational growth. However, like other aspects that become procedural, these messages need to be rotated often. A strategy is to find a partner to switch motivational signs or posters with in your grade level, department, or school. Water consumption is imperative in our students. When becoming dehydrated, the brain starts to shut down.
Educators often have access to something cool to drink during the day or even in workshops.
If that is not available, educators are antsy about sitting in a two-hour conference and often are thinking of other things such as, what ballgame the kids have to be taken to that night, or what is on the grocery list. Students operate in the same manner. Reducing some of those feelings of searching for a basic need, such as water, the student will bring learning back into focus. Allowing students access to water bottles or jugs of water with small cups, helps the brain's physiological need respond in a productive manner instead of an adverse manner. As with anything in the classroom, modeling the appropriate ways to have a water bottle at the desk, or modeling how to handle pouring water correctly, and showing students what is acceptable is the key to positive implementation.