For more than 23 years, I have had the privilege of working with students in the classroom, where I witnessed firsthand that academic success and personal growth go hand in hand. While strong instruction is essential, I also recognized that many students needed intentional opportunities to develop the life skills that support success both inside and outside the classroom. That realization inspired me to create The Best Me Bellringers™.

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One of the most interesting things I have learned from students is that they often want structure—even when they appear to resist it. They may challenge a boundary, question an expectation, or push against a routine, but that does not necessarily mean they do not value it. Students benefit from knowing what is expected, what comes next, and what success looks like.

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I came to understand that structure is not simply about rules or compliance. It is about giving students a dependable framework in which they can learn, make choices, practice better habits, and grow. Oftentimes, students need us to explicitly teach the behaviors and skills we expect rather than simply assume they already know how to demonstrate them. That understanding helped shape The Best Me Bellringers™.

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The Best Me Bellringers™ is a cross-curricular, standards-aligned, evidence based program designed to help educators strengthen both academic and life skills through engaging daily lessons. More than a traditional bellringer, the program intentionally integrates reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary development, critical thinking, reflection, mindfulness and meaningful discussion while reinforcing social-emotional learning and classroom readiness.

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Every lesson was intentionally designed to fit naturally into the school day while helping students develop essential skills such as self-control, personal responsibility, respectful communication, resilience, goal setting, empathy, and critical thinking. At the same time, students strengthen academic habits that support success across subject areas, including written communication, collaboration, vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, and reflective thinking.

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As a Certified Health and Life Coach, I believe that students thrive when they are given opportunities to build healthy habits, develop confidence, and recognize that their choices influence their future. That belief is woven throughout every module of The Best Me Bellringers™, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning, relationships, and personal growth.

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My hope is that this program becomes more than a daily classroom routine. I hope it serves as a practical resource that helps educators create positive classroom communities while equipping students with the academic and life skills they need to succeed in school, future careers, and life.

 

"Every student has the potential to become their best self when character development is taught with the same intentionality as academic skills."

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A Classroom Experience That Reinforced My Vision:

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As I developed and refined The Best Me Bellringers™, I intentionally piloted many of the activities with my own students. At one point, I temporarily removed the program from our daily routine to observe how students responded. To my surprise, they repeatedly asked when The Best Me Bellringers™ would return.

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One of their favorite traditions was becoming a Best Me Superstar. Students who consistently demonstrated positive character, leadership, and growth were recognized by their peers and invited to encourage others. As part of that recognition, Best Me Superstars signed classmates' graphic organizers and wrote words of encouragement or advice to help them accomplish their selected action steps.

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Watching students celebrate one another, encourage personal growth, and take pride in positive leadership reminded me that recognition can be a powerful motivator. It reinforced my belief that students thrive when they are given meaningful opportunities to develop character alongside academic skills.

 

— Tonya (Grace) Thomas