Turndown Service

Years ago the children and I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Naples, Florida. His company put us up in a gorgeous hotel that had amenities I didn’t know existed. It was wonderful. While there are many things I remember about that trip, one often comes to mind anytime we have stayed in a hotel since then—the turndown service. 

On that trip we spent our first day walking around the hotel and enjoying the pool and beach. We ate dinner at a beachside restaurant and watched the sun set over the Gulf. We returned to our room after a restful but long day to find the table lamps dimmed, our sheets turned down with a note and chocolates for each of us, and peaceful music playing on the television. 

Looking back on it, it really wasn’t much, and I am sure it did not take the staff long at all, but in the moment it sure seemed like it. Our day was fun, but we were tired, and the turndown service went above our expectations. It was one step beyond . . . It made our stay extra special. Isn’t it fun when others go out of their way to create a little extra delight in your day? 

This makes me question how we can do that for our students. What is the equivalent of turndown service in our classrooms? How can we go a step beyond and create a little extra delight in our students’ day? What might that look like? Maybe it’s . . . 

• standing at the door as they leave to give them their choice of a hug, handshake, or high-five.
• a note on their table or in their backpack that is pre-printed with “you’re special” and has a handwritten note from you. 
• a few minutes during the day for a brief meditation. 
• special read-aloud time not for the purpose of meeting standards but for reading enjoyment and pleasure.

What ideas can you come up with? We would love to have a list of them for all of us to use! Please join in the discussion on the discussion board to share your thoughts.