Building a Community of Learners
As I watch the Presidential election coverage this year on television and read posts about teachers wondering what to do those first few weeks, I am reminded of the importance of building community within my classroom during that first few weeks of school. Developing responsible students, teaching procedures and expectations and the importance of mutual respect are all part of having a successful year with your new class.This is one reason I start my year with a theme-to give my students a feeling of belonging to something bigger than themselves-our classroom community.
The past few years, I have used a Camp theme. But any theme can be used and over the years I have used many! Let me show you ways you can incorporate a theme into your classroom to build a positive learning environment for your students.
You will reap the benefits with your students later in the year if you spend time developing a positive learning environment that develops life skills and leadership skills in your students early on.
Students will value each other's differences, be more empathetic, understanding and show compassion toward others if you take the time to build community within your classroom beginning those first few weeks of school.
1. Introducing yourself to your class and their families
A perfect start to the new year is to send a letter to your students just before school starts. This is a great way to introduce yourself to your students and their families. Including a picture of yourself or you and your family over the summer is a nice addition to the letter. Learning a little about you before that first day alleviates a lot of apprehension coming into your classroom on that first day.
Creating a letter that is theme-related will welcome them into the classroom community that you will be working hard to create over the next few weeks. This is an example of the card I made last year.
2. Setting up your theme-related classroom environment
2. Setting up your theme-related classroom environment
Creating your physical space around a theme is a lot of fun. There are so many things you can do-allow yourself to be creative! Providing a quiet corner that provides flexible seating for students to work in partners or independently has always been part of my classroom.
3. Flexible seating options
Other spots around the classroom where students can work include special chairs (Papasan chairs, stools, bean bags, pillows, a bench) tables and their desks, of course! Be creative...you can always find fun ways to provide flexible seating. In my classroom, these spots alternate each week or two so that all students have a chance to sit in different seating provided around the room. Making a chart with your seating that can be changed every week or two works well to manage this task.
4. Jobs and motivating students to work together
Other spots around the classroom where students can work include special chairs (Papasan chairs, stools, bean bags, pillows, a bench) tables and their desks, of course! Be creative...you can always find fun ways to provide flexible seating. In my classroom, these spots alternate each week or two so that all students have a chance to sit in different seating provided around the room. Making a chart with your seating that can be changed every week or two works well to manage this task.
4. Jobs and motivating students to work together
My class was extremely large last year. Instead of bringing in four more chairs, I took two trapezoid tables and put them together. Four students were chosen every other week to sit at this table and be my Camp Counselors. I found four clipboards (fancier ones that clicked open for them to keep at their seat). I used a label maker to write Counselor 1, Counselor 2, 3 and 4 on the cover. These clipboards stayed on their table with a homework checklist on top and inside were special supplies including Camp Cash, post-its, pens, and a highlighter. Each counselor was assigned to one of the other four groups of students. During their week as a counselor they had jobs like checking homework for the their group each morning, lining up with their group and monitoring their hallway behavior. Camp Cash was our classroom currency that could be earned throughout the year to purchase classroom incentives.
Interested in Camp Cash? Click here.
5. "Camper of the Week" sharing
Two other ways to create a community of learners using a theme are pictured here. The first photo is my "Camper of the Week" sharing board.
Two other ways to create a community of learners using a theme are pictured here. The first photo is my "Camper of the Week" sharing board.
Each week a student is chosen to be the Camper of the Week. During their week, the student brings in pictures of themselves, their family, awards, drawings, etc. to display for the week on the magnetic board. The Camper of the Week is also given a chance to share about themselves with their peers in our meeting place around the campfire.
6. Setting up a meeting place
Your class will enjoy sharing Camper of the Week, listening to your read aloud and gathering for many other activities in this space throughout the year. Your meeting place is a perfect place to do community building activities as well as mini-lessons for Reading, Writing or Math Workshops!
Here are the last few bulletin boards that I added to my classroom to promote my Camp theme and building community: Leader In Me, Bug Birthdays and Hiking Helpers.
7. Leader In Me
Our school is implementing the Leader In Me program. This board was used to promote the Habit of the Week. Students also hung their Leadership Lanyards on this board. They would take them off the board to wear them each Friday and earn tags or beads for various accomplishments.
8. Helpful Hikers was a board I bought on TpT a few
years ago. Giving students jobs within their own
classroom helps them take pride and ownership
of their learning environment. The hikers tied in well to my camp theme.
9. Bug Birthdays
I also bought these bug jars and bugs on TpT.
You can find this product if you type in Birthday Bug Bulletin Board by Aubri Pennington.
10. Last, but not least, are my boards to display student work - Spotlight on Great Work!
This board was easily interchangeable. I put card stock squares on the board first and attached a clip on each to allow papers to change often. That way all students celebrated their work throughout the year!
Tracking Good Behavior was where we kept track of daily table points. Groups could earn PAWS for demonstrating their mastery of procedures, expectations and rules in our classroom. Tables earned Camp Cash if their table won for that day! Part of building a community of learners is encouraging them to work together...this board promotes teamwork or that working together is better!
Building a positive learning environment is ongoing throughout the school year. Setting up your learning environment is just the beginning. There are a multitude of ways that your students can become more responsible for their own learning, develop respect for others and learn to work together in your classroom. I believe it starts here!
Happy Community Building!
~anne
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