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Building a Classroom Community, Teachers have so many items on their to-do list each day, making them forget the essential things necessary for better teacher-student relations. Among all these struggles, building classroom community becomes the last priority.
It is a fact that teachers mostly worry about making lesson plans, helping students prepare for the test, attending meetings, fulfilling administrative duties, and there is so much to add to this list. So, performing community-building activities in such a hassle seems such an overwhelming task.
Don’t forget, for most of the students belonging to low-income families or suffering from trauma; the classroom is the place of safety, routine, and most importantly, stability. Make sure you represent yourself as a symbol of love and care for each student equally.
So, every minute which you consider spending on building a classroom community is exceptionally well spent. Here are the five steps which can help you in building a classroom community where everyone feels a sense of community.
- Prepare for morning meetings:
Creating a sense of community is no longer a challenging task by holding morning meetings consistently. You may engage your students by assigning an anchor or poster chart to display in the classroom. This will enhance social-emotional learning and build stronger relationships. Dedicating the first 30 minutes of class for this activity is enough to start a good day ahead. - Make rules together:
Establish regulations and remind students to follow them at the start of each academic year. Always prefer to discuss how and why these rules bring safety, stability to students and if you find any ambiguity in them, then make amendments accordingly. Laws must be established in ways that infuse positive activities like respecting privacy and caring for the needs of others. - Welcome every student:
When students enter the classroom, greet them well. Some teacher stands at the door and plays some music to welcome them in class while some prefer to write a welcome quote on the board. Depending upon your choice, you can opt for any way which delivers your students a message that you care for each student. This practice makes you start the day in the best possible way, and your students feel acknowledged. - Focus on Gratitude:
You may have listened to this quote several times that “Gratitude is the best attitude,” then why not implement it in building a classroom community. Gratitude is a perfect way for everyone to feel more connected but implement it in a fun way. For example, you can make a colored-coded gratitude list asking different questions like “name one person you are grateful for and why” Then, correspond these questions with other items like stars or paper. The student will choose between items and answer the relevant question. - Build a strong relationship from day one:
The first impression is the last impression, so focus on relationships from the very first day. Provide students with opportunities to share their voices and experiences. This way, students feel more respected, connected, safe, and supported. The stronger the community you will build; the fewer conflicts you will have.
No doubt, building a strong classroom community takes a thoughtful approach and a consistent implementation. However, being an educator, you must know that Building a classroom community is the most effective way to make students feel ownership over their classroom. Having a stronger classroom community, they few discipline issues you will face.
Building a Classroom Community References
Edge, Learners. “4 Ways to Create a Classroom Community.”
https://www.learnersedge.com/blog/4-ways-to-create-a-classroom-community.
SCHOLARS, NATIONAL SOCIETY OF HIGH SCHOOL. “5 Strategies for Building Community in the Classroom.” https://www.nshss.org/blog/5-strategies-for-building-community-in-the-classroom/.
Think, Grow, Giggle. “8 Strategies for Building Classroom Community.” 2020, http://www.thinkgrowgiggle.com/2018/06/8-strategies-to-build-strong-classroom.html.
