When I had my own first/second grade classroom, one of the most difficult parts of the day was saying good-bye. I don’t mean that saying good-bye would bring a sense of loss, or that I would miss the kids and did not want them to leave. I mean it was difficult getting them out of the door in one piece, with their homework, their notes for their parents, winter garb if necessary, and, most important, a sense of security and accomplishment from the day.

Early success
When I first began implementing the Responsive Classroom approach in my classroom I was elated. Now I had a structure for building positive, meaningful relationships with my students and I had a philosophy that fit me like a glove! Morning Meeting was a dream from the start: my students ate it up, and so did I. We quickly went from simple greetings and fun activities to a Morning Meeting that was stocked full with academic rigor and independent ownership. I taught through games, songs, the chart, sharing, and even greetings. Students were taking ownership by becoming Morning Meeting leaders and being active listeners. They were showing responsibility in the way they responded to one another, did the interactive part of the chart, and through their ability to take a break positively.

Why, I asked myself, did that not transfer to the end of the day?

The end of the day looked the opposite of the beginning of the day. It was frantic! We were rushed and frustrated and sad and mad and disappointed. Unlike the beginning of the day, no one looked forward to the end of the day. No one practiced the tools they so proudly used at Morning Meeting and throughout the day. I was happy when all my students were safe on their buses and I am sure they were equally happy not to have their teacher looking at them in that annoyed and frustrated way.

After conversations with my teaching partner and reading some articles, I realized that I needed to build a structure into the end of my day just as I did with the day’s beginning. I needed to teach my students how to be responsible, have self-control, and build independence so we could leave the day feeling refreshed and excited for the work we did together and the possibilities for tomorrow.

Closing Circle
We needed to have a Closing Circle to end the day, just as we had a Morning Meeting to start the day.

First, I needed to carve out time at the end of the day. I needed to tell myself that this proactive strategy would be worth every minute I set aside for it. If Closing Circle took 15 minutes at the end of the day, I had to believe that that time would be saved in a more efficient cleanup and smooth closing routine.

I saw a difference instantly. In our first Closing Circle we played Silent Ball (a classroom favorite) and we ended with a whip share about what went well that day. I felt so calm when my students each hugged me as they walk to their buses! The hugs were genuine, not hugs saying, “Even though I am annoyed, I still care about you.” They were hugs that said, “Thanks for the day!”

Although there were still some days when I was happy to say goodbye to my little charges, we now had a positive routine for closing down the day that was efficient and sincere. Eventually, Closing Circle became a time just like Morning Meeting where students were learning through reflection, responsibly participating, and taking care of themselves and each other.

One teacher\'s successful Closing Circle
Ms. Mary, my son’s teacher leads one of the most wonderful Closing Circles I have ever witnessed. At exactly 2:05 every day the students know that the sound of a tambourine signals the closing down of the day: time to put away all of their materials, pack up their folders that go home, collect their belongings and put them on their table spot, and gather in a circle just as they do for Morning Meeting. At 2:10 it is time to begin.

Ms. Mary always begins with a reflection of some kind. When they were preparing to celebrate Valentine’s Day, she asked, “What are you wondering about tomorrow?” In an instant, students calmed, raised their hands and asked important questions that were circling in their heads about what the next day would look like. On uneventful days she might ask, “What went well for you today?” or “What book did you work on today? Tell your neighbor what interested you about the book.”

After reflections, Ms. Mary and her class have a little fun together. On days when there is not much time they might simply recite their goodbye poem, Merry Have We Met. On a day when they have a little more time they might sing a song together or play a quick game. After a bit of fun, it is now 2:20 and an announcement tells the class that all buses have arrived.

The students in Ms. Mary’s class are ready for their “smooth take off.” They all go to their spots to retrieve their belongings and line up for the final ritual of the day. Ms. Mary stands at the door waiting patiently for each child to calmly come to her, look her in the eye, and shake her hand while she sincerely says, “Thanks for the day.”

CLOSING CIRCLE COMPONENTS
Just as with Morning Meeting, I have never seen two Closing Circles exactly alike but all have the same components.

Gathering
Teachers have many ways to gather students at different times of day. Many sing a song together or play music. Having a signal and set routine for gathering to the circle calms students at the end of the day. When students hear the signal, they learn it is time to clean up their area, get their things together and come to the circle. This can eliminate any frustration or confusion about what is going to happen. When this routine is modeled and practiced, students build independence and time is saved.

Reflection
Personal reflections (social and academic)
Whole group reflections
Acknowledgements
Planning reflections

Reflection comes in many forms and is important for cognitive and emotional growth. When students are provided with the opportunity to reflect on their learning and social interactions, more growth occurs. In Closing Circle, reflection can occur with a quick, simple question about the social and academic happenings of the day.

Activity
An activity is an opportunity for students to have a little fun together at the end of the day. The activity can be combined with the other components of the Closing Circle when is not enough time to do both. An example of combining two components is doing the Ball Toss with a reflection question that is answered while tossing the ball to one another.

Closing
Closing occurs in the very last part of the day. This is the final opportunity for students to leave their classroom feeling refreshed and ready for home. Every day, Ms. Mary meets her students at the door and says, “Thanks for the day.” They relish this send off. Closing can also happen between students or take the form of an activity. For example, students can say a one-minute goodbye walking around the circle, shaking hands with as many friends as they can or the class can sing a goodbye song together.

Closing Circle can help you:
End the day on a positive note
Create routines and rituals that support and engage your students
Say goodbye in a positive way to all students
Thank others for hard work and help
Reinforce feelings of belonging and significance
Calm students in preparation for a safe exit

EXAMPLES OF CLOSING CIRCLES
All Gathering, Reflection, Closing activities or songs suggested here are described in full below, in the section that follows.

A Quickie
Gathering: The More We Get Together (song)
Reflection--Thumbs check-in: How did you do on following the \"Golden Rule\" today?
Closing: Teacher, Adios amigos; Students, Adios Maestra

Gathering: Come on Over (song)
Reflection: What was your \"Golden Nugget\" today? (whip share)
Closing: High Five at the door

Gathering: Ring a bell or shake a tambourine
Reflection: How did you do with being responsible today? (Fist to Five)
Closing: Sparkler clap

Personal Reflection
Gathering: Ring a triangle
Reflection: Say to your neighbor, “Share something that challenged you and something that was easy for you today.”
Closing: Class makes up a chant that is said every day
Example:
We are a class that works together and plays together
We are a class that enjoys each other and laughs together
We are a class that show caring to one another
We are a class that ROCKS!

Gathering: Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto
Reflection: Comfort Zone, Learning Zone, Twilight Zone
Closing: Sing, Home on the Range

Gathering: Ring a bell or shake a tambourine
Reflection: Popcorn share “What was the best part of the day?”
Closing: Goodbye ritual at the door

Group Reflection
Gathering: Ring a triangle
Reflection: Snowball
First throw, One thing that went well as a group today
Second throw, One challenge
Third throw, Something to work on
Display papers and share at Morning Meeting
Closing: Friends (song)

Group Reflection on Social Aspects
Gathering: Call and Response
Reflection: How did someone help you to feel a sense of belonging today? (whip share)
Activity/Acknowledgement Game: A Great Looking Class
Closing: Handshake goodbye

Reflection/Acknowledgements
Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection: Touch Someone Who
Closing: Three Cheers for Us

Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection: Secret Pals
Closing: The Song That Never Ends

Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection: Pretzels
Closing: Handshake goodbye

Planning for Tomorrow
Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Looking Forward/Planning for Tomorrow: What are you wondering about?
Closing: So Long Farewell (song)

Planning for home
Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection: What was a memorable part of the day that you will share with someone outside of school? Make a list of students’ ideas. (housetop partners)
Closing: Make New Friends (song)

Planning for the Weekend
Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection: Hopes and Dreams for the weekend (ball toss)
Closing: Life doesn’t Frighten Me (poem)

Planning for the Bus
Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection: Review bus guidelines
Each students announces a plan for the bus. Create a class list to check in the morning
Closing: “I Can Make a Difference” cards

Planning for a Guest Teacher
Gathering: Signal with a sound, song, or by playing music
Reflection using Learning Partners:
What rule will you commit to follow tomorrow?
Share with learning partner. Check in with him or her the following day.
Closing: Classroom Cheer
Room _______
Room_______
Gooooooo, room ______!


ACTIVITIES

Merry Have We Met
Merry have we met
Merry have we been
Merry shall we part
Merry meet again


The More We Get Together
The more we get together,
Together, together,
The more we get together,
The happier we\'ll be.

For your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together,
The happier we\'ll be!


So Long Farewell (From the Sound of Music)
Everyone stands in a circle. Before the game begins, number off students by twos.

Everyone sings:
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodnight (Wave to your neighbors on both sides.)
hate to go and leave this pretty sight
Dah di dah di dah di daaaah, dah di dah di dah (Ones turn to the person on their right and twos turn to the person their left. Shake hands with your partner and change places.)

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodnight (Wave to your neighbors on both sides.)
I hate to go, I cannot tell a lie
Dah di dah di dah di daaaah, dah di dah di dah (Ones turn to the person on their right and twos turn to the person their left. Shake hands with your partner and change places.)

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodnight (Wave to your neighbors on both sides.)


It’s time for room _______ to say goodbye
Goodbye (wave to a friend)
Goodbye (wave to a friend)
Goodbye (wave to a friend)


Come On Over
Come on over and sit right down
Come on over and sit right down
Come on over and sit right down
Sit right down together
Come on over and clap your hands
Come on over and clap your hands
Come on over and clap your hands
Clap your hands together

Come on over and stomp your feet
Come on over and stomp your feet
Come on over and stomp your feet
Stomp your feet together

Come on over to say goodbye
Come on over to say goodbye
Come on over to say goodbye
Say goodbye together


Friends
Friends, friends, one, two three, (hold up 1, 2, 3 fingers)
All my friends are here with me. (arms stretched wide)
You’re my friend, you’re my friend, you’re my friend, you’re my friend (point to people)
Friends, friends, one, two, three (repeat gestures above)
All my friends are here with me!

Spanish
Amigos, amigos, uno, dos, tres,
Todos mis amigos estan aqui.
Tu mi amigo, tu mi amiga, tu mi amigo, tu mi amiga
Amigos, amigos, uno, dos, tres,
Todos mis amigos estan aqui!

French
Amis, amis, un deux, trois,
Touts mes amis sont ici avec moi
Vous est mon ami, vous est mon ami, vous est mon ami, vous est mon ami,
Amis, amis, un deux, trois,
Touts mes amis sont ici avec moi!

Vietnamese
Thanks to Bobbi Nguyen, Parkway Elementary, St. Paul

Ban, ban, mot hai ba,
Tat ca ban cua toi a day
Anh (male) la ban, chi (female) la ban, ahn la ban, chi la ban,
Ban, ban, mot hai ba,
Tat ca ban cua toi a day!

Japanese
Thanks to Malia Burkhart

Tomodachi, tomodachi, ichi, ni, san,
Watashi no tomodachi kochira e arimasho.
Tomodachi des, no tomodachi des, no tomodachi des,
Tomodachi, tomodachi, ichi, ni, san,
Watashi no tomodachi kochira e arimasho!

Norwegian
Thanks to Inger Stenseth,Webster Open School, Minneapolis

Venner, venner, en, to, tre
Alle mine venner er her med meg
Du er min venn, du er min venn, du er min venn, du er min venn,
Venner, venner, en, to, tre
Venner, venner, en, to, tre
Alle mine venner er her med meg!

Pronunciation:
“to” = “tu” “tre” = “tray”
“mine” = “meen”; “her” = “hahd”; “meg” = “my”


The Song That Never Ends
Thanks to Clyde Hadrava, Cass Lake-Bena Elementary School, Cass Lake, MN, and to Shari Lewis and Lambchop

This is the song that never ends,
And it goes on and on, my friends –
Some people started singing it not knowing what it was,
And they’ll continue singing it forever just because
This is the song that never ends …


Shalom Haverim
After you master singing this song in unison, you can sing it as a round
in two parts or as many as six!

Shalom havereem, shalom, havereem, shalom, shalom!
Leheet raote, leheet raote, shalom, shalom!

Translation:
Hello, friends, in peace, good bye, friends, in peace – peace, peace!
See you again, see you again – peace, peace!


Make New Friends
A two-part round

Make new friends but keep the old
One is silver and the other gold!
A circle’s round, it has no end
That’s how long I want to be your friend!


Home on the Range
Written By: Brewster Higley
Music By: Daniel Kelley
Traditional

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

How often at night when the heavens are bright
With the light from the glittering stars
Have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free
The breezes so balmy and light
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

Oh, I love those wild flowers in this dear land of ours
The curlew, I love to hear scream
And I love the white rocks and the antelope flocks
That graze on the mountaintops green

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day


A Great Looking Class
Students sit in a circle. The leader of the groups asks everyone to look around the group and think about a few things that make the group special for example, the group is hard working, caring, funny… Give students an opportunity to think and then begin.

The leader starts by saying, “When I look around this group I see a great looking group!” The leader then models how they can add their own thoughts about the group to the game. For example, “Not only are we a great looking group, we are a helpful group.” The game continues by going around the circle or to students as they feel ready to add something to the pattern. For example, “Not only are we a helpful group, but we are all good friends.” When there is a lull the leader can jump in and add a positive statement. Keep going until it appears everyone who wanted to had a turn.

Plan for Success: Give students time to think of positive statements. Allow students to pass. Model using a strong voice that everyone can hear.


Snowball
Each participant is given a half piece of paper. Instruct participants to write something on the paper, for example, you can ask, “What went well for you today?” When students have finished writing instruct them to crumple their paper. On the count of three have everyone throw their paper into the circle. When all papers have been thrown instruct students to safely collect one crumpled “snowball.” You can continue to have students write on the paper as long as you want. When you are finished invite some students to share what was written in their “snowball” or tack them up on a display so everyone can read all of them.


I Can Make a Difference
Students write on cards how they make a difference. For a closing have students share their own or mix the cards up and invite students to go around the circle and read their cards to the whole group.


TYPES OF SHARES

Housetop Partners
The student sitting right or left of the teacher turns to his or her neighbor and the two of them make a peek with their hands. This then goes around the circle. Once all students have made a peek with their neighbors, they have their housetop partners.

Popcorn Share
This share takes some self-control. When someone has something they would like to share they can “blurt” out (yes, blurting is allowed here). Students are challenged to pay close attention to each other and wait if they started at the same time as someone else.

Whip Share (or Lightning share)
This share goes around the circle. Everyone has a turn to share. They may pass.

Fist to Five
This is a silent rating activity. After students reflect on a specific topic, they choose one of the following to indicate their response:

A Fist = not at all
1 finger = not much
2 fingers = bad but not horrible
3 fingers = in the middle
4 fingers = pretty good
5 = best

This article first appeared in Origins: A Newsletter for Educators, Spring 2006