Community+Building

When a classroom functions as a community, children can feel safe and accepted and make positive connections with others. The opportunity to participate as a contributing member of a community helps children to become successful learners, problem solvers, and decision makers. I try to build a classroom community by welcoming children, using morning meeting and class meetings to promote a sense of community, helping children to relate positively to others, and teaching them to solve social problems. In order for a community to work, a clear structure is essential. To provide this structure I try to provide a daily routine and an organized learning environment. __** All About Me Posters **__ __**First Day of School Ice Breaker:**__ Students find someone in the room who likes something listed in a box, that student has to sign the box. Once the student get a different person to sign each box they are finished. This is a great activity that introduces students to their new classmates. __** A great way to manage class partners for projects **__

Teacher Directions Overview: This activity is a fun way to create ready- made sets of partners for cooperative learning lessons. Steps: > more times. They’ll sign next on the 9 o’clock line and finally on the > > 12 o’clock line. If you have a small class, it may take some help on your part to make sure everyone has a new partner for each time slot. 10. Now each time you need for them to form partners, have them take out their appointment clocks and name one of the four times. For example, “Today you will meet with your 9 o’clock appointment to complete your graphic organizer.” Note: Each time you use the clock, remind students to put their clocks away in a safe place. After half a dozen kids have lost their clocks, this method of pairing becomes ineffective! Then it’s time to start over and make new clocks.
 * Appointment Clock Buddies
 * 1) Duplicate one copy of the Appointment Clock printable for each student and distribute prior to the activity.
 * 2) To begin, ask students to write their own names and the date at the top of their clock papers.
 * 3) Then ask students to stand up with their papers and a pencil and begin moving quietly around the room.
 * 4) Give an audible signal (clap, chimes, buzzer, bell, etc.) and have students stop and find a partner.
 * 5) When everyone has a partner, ask them to sign their partner’s paper on the 3 o’clock line. It’s very important that they all start on the same line.
 * 6) Give the signal to move and have students mix around the room. Signal them to stop and find a new partner. This time you’ll need to check to be sure everyone does have a new partner before you proceed with the next step. You may have to switch a few students to create new pairs.
 * 7) Now ask students to sign each other’s papers on the 6 o’clock line.
 * 8) To complete the activity, have students mix around and pair up two
 * 1) After all lines are signed, students return to their seats and put their papers in a safe place such as in the front of their binders.

Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com ||

__Morning Meetings__
 Starting our day off on the right foot is important to us. Sets the tone for the entire day. Or, so it feels... But, we really cannot predict what the transition from home to school has in store for us until each and every last foot has crossed through our classroom door, all chairs are down, kids accounted for, and the teacher can commence breathing... We find having a morning routine incredibly important to our sanity in our class. It helps set each day off right and gives our kiddos a sense of success each morning. They know what to expect. It's predictable. We then ask our kids to come "circle up" on the rug for our " ** Morning Meeting ** ". We use stuffed animals to teach them who is speaking and who is listening. It's hard for them to focus on one person and not want to turn to their neighbor and chat about the hot game of kickball that awaits in T-Minus 56 minutes! A **Question of the Day** is also announced, which will be our speaking topic for the Morning Meeting. We start by saying "Good Morning Room 1." and the kids say back, "Good Morning." It's a bit robotic, but it models good communication when someone is being polite to you. The teacher will share first. Then, most kids are dying to share, so we start the fuzzy friend around the circle. For a few who are not quite ready to share, we do allow the "pass" option but they do have to at least say "Good Morning". Most come around after a few passes. When we're done with our Morning Meeting, our Question of the Day becomes our journal writing topic. We are constantly telling them, "If you can say it, you can write it.", "Writing is just a way of speaking with your pencil.", After a week of topic writing, we all look forward to "Free Choice Friday!" where we share and write about anything we want. They actually cheered last week...It was weird...  __** Class Rules **__ By allowing the students to create their own set of class rules. Students will determine what they would like their classroom to look like, feel like, and sound like in order for it to be a safe, fair, and fun learning environment. They will come to a consensus about what behaviors will lead to this goal, and what the consequences should be for not demonstrating the behaviors. This will help them to create a great sense of community. = Classroom Jobs =

= Classroom jobs are an important part of our classroom. They enable us to feel important and help us learn responsibility.Having classroom jobs gives each child a sense of ownership of our classroom. They are proud to be involved in maintaining a successful and clean classroom. =

__**Class Mascot **__  Having a class mascot promotes the home school connection. Whether you use a traditional stuffed animal or Webkinz (the mascot's visit would have a tech connection).  Students will have a sense of ownership in taking care of the case mascot. They will write and take pictures for the journal about their week with the mascot. The student will then share their journal entry with the class on Mondays and then the mascot is off to visit with the next family!

__** Family Involvement **__ Each child who walks through your door "comes" with a family. The family is a key ingredient to children feeling at home in your classroom. In some programs, you may only meet the families at special meetings or occasions. In others, you will have the pleasure of seeing them every day when they drop off and pick up their children. Make a point of connecting in a variety of ways, from phone calls to letters or notes sent home. If possible, learn their email addresses for instant family communication. They will appreciate your efforts and may reward you with active participation in your program. Invite family members to visit and share their culture, work, and interests. You will be expanding your classroom community to include the greater community of the town where your school resides.

__** Building Community Through Trust **__

At this stage of development, in order to feel part of their classroom community, children need to feel the same sense of trust in school as they do at home. Your calm acceptance of children's feelings during the transition from home to school goes a long way towards letting children know that it is safe to express their feelings and building their sense of trust in you. Reassure children by making eye contact, listening to what they need to say, and acknowledging their thoughts and feelings. Don't expect children to make friends right away. Children may need to engage in parallel play before they are ready to share and communicate with another child.

__** Building Community Through Familiarity **__

Moving into a new class of children can be very challenging. Children need to find things that are familiar to them in the classroom. It can be something simple, such as puzzles and games they might have played with in a previous classroom. These might be materials that seem too "easy" for them, but in order to build a community, children need to build a sense of comfort - the time to be challenged comes later. And interestingly, children who have a sense of success with a particular educational material or game are more likely to share it with others and thus build community. Don't forget to use familiar and favorite songs and books at group time. Children will feel so proud when they can say, "I know that book!"

__** Building Community Through Warmth and Beauty **__

Studies have shown that warm colors and soft spaces are welcoming to children and create a secure and nurturing "nest" from which they can grow. Lots of pillows, soft toys, fresh flowers, soft clay or dough, and items for water play, create a homelike environment. These elements also foster a sense of community. A soft place to share a book with a friend, a small clay table for two, or a beautiful bouquet of flowers to examine together all can create "warm spots" for children to share with a new friend. But perhaps the warmest element of your classroom is you and your SMILE.

__** Leadership Opportunities **__ If your school has a "back to school night" or an "open house", don't be the star of the show. Have a class meeting to decide how the members of your class community should present the class to their parents. This is a wonderful chance to reinforce learning, presentation skills and feelings that this is truly OUR class.

__** Decorations **__ At the beginning of the year, DO NOT decorate the entire classroom. If it's "our classroom", have the children help you to decorate it in a way that will make them feel some ownership. Of course, you should feel free to hang in advance things that you need in order to teach (e.g.- maps, letter charts, etc.). If having your students do most of your decorating is a bit ambitious, have them at least take charge of a bulletin board.

__** Group Arrangement **__ Instead of arranging your class in rows (a seating arrangement which isolates children and focus all attention on the teacher), try a large semi-circle or cooperative learning pods of four.