To have a thriving classroom you need to understand how to build classroom community. As teachers we love stories. We love telling students and we love listening to stories. Each one of our students has a different story to tell. If you want your students to have fun, be respectful, and be engaged in learning, you need to get to know them and build a classroom community.
Your students will not effectively learn if they feel unwanted, unsafe, disrespected, or ignored. It’s up to you to listen to their unique story and build a trusting relationship.
How I Learned to Build Community in the Classroom
In my first year of teaching, I took a 4th grade position at a school where it was a majority of military families. I went in with many assumptions which later I found were very incorrect. Thinking that these kids would be very well-mannered and easy to work with; I didn’t think I would have to worry too much. But I was wrong! Yes, many of these kids were respectful and kind but most of them were distant and shy. Some were even angry.
The first few weeks I thought I was so fortunate because I felt like I had a timid class and in my mind, I thought that must mean I was teaching well and they were learning a lot… I remember grading their first math test. My heart stopped and I felt like a failure because they failed! I was so confused; I taught everything from the book and I didn’t think there were any issues. What did I do wrong?
With the help of one of my mentor teachers at the school, I learned that I hadn’t gotten to know these students. I could tell you maybe one of their interests that we learned from our beginning of the year games but I realized I needed to do things differently so they would organically open up and start feeling part of the community. It took me a little bit of time to realize that most of these kids moved around so it was difficult for them to establish a “home.” With their constant moving and with mom and/or dad always away it was hard for them to make connections with friends and others. I realized that to be the best teacher for these students I needed to make this classroom feel like a “home” and to make honest connections.
Once I implemented daily and weekly strategies to build community in our classroom the difference was outstanding. The results and growth I saw with these students were truly remarkable. My mentor teacher, who was our school’s reading intervention teacher even told me how much of a difference she had seen in my students! It made me feel so proud and honored to get to know these students.
Your Turn to Build Classroom Community
But now it is your turn! It is important to understand that building a classroom community might start at the beginning of the year but it needs to continue throughout the whole year. Learn from my mistakes. Yes, it is fun to play the beginning of the year games to break the ice with your students but afterward, build on that momentum! Your students want to form these meaningful relationships just as much as you do! So, you may be wondering how to build classroom community.
9 Ways to Build Community in the Classroom
1. Connect with your students from the very start!
Don’t be a stranger to your students and their families. Have your students feel welcomed and safe before they step into your classroom. Sending out a “Meet the Teacher” newsletter or postcard is a great way to show your families a little about yourself before they even walk into your classroom for Back to School Night or the first day of school.
I love sending out “Meet the Teacher” newsletters/postcards each year because it is a great way to show them who I am and they get to learn some fun facts. I remember this past year on the first day of school, a new girl and her family commented on how she was so excited to be in my class after they read my “Meet the Teacher” newsletter. She also loved to swim and love to write, like me so they felt like there was going to be an instant connection! So, even before I officially met this new student she felt a little more comfortable because she got to know me!
Another idea that I recommend before school starts or on a Meet the Teacher/Back to School Night, is to send out a parent survey. This could be done on paper or virtually (I enjoy using Google Forms). This not only helps parents open up and communicate any questions or concerns, but it also gives you a chance to start getting to know your students. Parents, most of the time, have the best insight into their children.
2. “Get To Know You” Activities to Build classroom community
Something fun at the beginning of the school year is playing games and doing activities to help “break the ice”. This can help you and your students get to know each other. Some fun activities to build classroom community:
- Two Truths and One Lie– Students will say 3 facts about themselves. Two are the truth and one is a lie. The rest of the class has to guess which is the lie.
- Find Someone Who– Ask the class questions and they have to find someone in the class with a similar answer.
- Would you Rather– Give them two options. They walk to one side of the room if they want the first option and the other side of the room if they prefer the other option.
- Guess Who– Each student will write a fun fact about themself and then the teacher will randomly say one and they have to guess who it is!
- Scavenger Hunt– Put them in teams/partners to find things in the class.
- Team Building Activities with STEAM– give teams certain items and they have to create different things. For example, “Try to make the tallest item?” “Try to make the sturdiest item” etc.
These are just some fun ideas. Getting them moving around and interacting with each other is a great way to start to build community in the classroom.
More Activities for the First Day of School
3. Greetings
Hello! Good Morning! How are you? Help set the tone and make your students feel welcomed EVERY morning as they enter class! One way to make your students feel welcomed to class is by welcoming them at the door!
As my students walk down the hallway and into my classroom I will ALWAYS stand outside my door and greet them with a “Good Morning” and smile! There are so many different types of greetings you can do for your students too. From hugs, high-fives, or even just a wave. Maybe create a fun secret handshake that they can learn that is just for your class! Another way to greet them is to ask them questions; “How was your weekend?” “Did your team win the game yesterday?” etc. It’s always great to make them unique for each student. For example, if you know that Sally’s dog had to go to the vet, ask if he is doing ok and how she is feeling.
A couple of fun ways to greet them is having them tell you a joke before they enter the class. Or giving them a hint to the “secret password” they have to guess. One thing I have done is create a class job called “Greeter.” This person for the week would help me greet the students as they walked into school/class. They loved it!
No matter the age students feel safer and more welcomed when they are greeted before class.
4. Create a Class Contract.
It is so important that you set clear expectations on day one. Once you have set these expectations make sure you’re reinforcing them consistently. One of my favorite activities on the first day of school is creating our “Class Contract.” After we have done the “Get to Know You” activities we discuss and collaborate some important rules to have to keep our class fun and safe.
First, I explain to them that we are going to create a contract with about 4-5 main classroom rules. They will be expected to follow them every day they come to school. Next, I have them brainstorm rules and expectations they think should go on the contract or that they think are important. I then write all of their ideas on the whiteboard. During this time we discuss why they think these would be important rules to have. Afterward, I have them vote on their top one or two rules to have in class. Then, the ones we vote/agree with I write on an anchor chart (big, bright, and colorful!). Last, I have them all come and sign the bottom of the anchor chart. I recommend hanging this somewhere in the classroom where everyone can see it and you can refer back to it when needed.
5. Morning/End of the Day Meetings
Meeting with your students either in the morning or at the end of your day is very underestimated. This is where you can not only go over the day but where you can make meaningful connections. There are some schools (mine was one of them) where they might tell you to try to get a morning meeting in once a week. This honestly is not enough!
I now do meetings every morning. This helps me check in on how my class is doing, get them excited for the day, see what they are nervous or excited about, etc. These don’t have to take too long. Some days can be sorter than others but the point of these meetings is to get the students talking. This is not your time to go over assignments. To me, these meetings are all about sharing. Doing a show and tell, a get to know you activity, giving shout-outs or compliments, reviewing and modeling expectations, discussions/debates, etc. There are so many possibilities with these morning or end of the day meetings to create that safe and welcoming community.
6. Read alouds
READ TO YOUR STUDENTS! One of my favorite parts of the day is reading aloud to my students. It’s great to use read alouds to build classroom community. My suggestion is that every day after lunch or recess choose a fun, interesting book and just let them listen! I prefer reading to my class after they come in for lunch recess but you can do it in the morning, snack, at the end of the day, etc. Just make sure you have a consistent time so that they can look forward to your reading. Find books that they can relate to or that you know will interest them!
Something magical happens during read aloud time. As the reader, you get to be dramatic or goofy and your students are engaged and get to use their imaginations. I have had parents tell me how their child “hates to read” but later on in the year they tell me how they want to get the next book in the series or they are reading out loud to their sibling! Connections through stories are powerful!
Here are some books to build classroom community:
7. Table/Small Groups
When given the option I will always set my students up in small group tables as seating arrangements. Small groups allow students to work together by connecting and collaborating. Having students work together helps them practice important life skills that they will need in the future.
Creating small groups in the classroom can also be a great classroom management strategy. I reward groups with “group points.” (House Points if you are a Harry Potter fan!) Throughout the week groups can earn points by going above and beyond at showing classroom and teamwork expectations that we have discussed as a class. The group with the most points at the end of the week gets a small reward. Small groups help with teamwork, leadership, and accountability. During Covid, it was difficult because I couldn’t put them in table groups; but with modifications, students were able to creatively work together!
Please be cautious when setting up or giving out group points. Make sure you have clearly gone over expectations beforehand and be consistent with these expectations. Also, groups don’t always work for every class at first. I had one class with many strong personalities, so group work for a while was rough. Later on though, through practice and perseverance, they were able to work together! Starting small is ok!
8. Lunches
Lunch is a very social time for students. One way I recommend getting to know your students is to have lunch with them. Now, I understand lunch is your time to take a break too but I love having one or two days a week to eat lunch with a small group of students. Choose three to four students and let them eat in the classroom with you. Inviting them to lunch makes them feel special and it lets you connect with them. They like the more personalized setting and once you get to know them they will open up to you! My 3rd and 4th graders would always ask (sometimes beg) if they could have lunch with me and their friends. They would ask for it so much it turned into a classroom/homework/group reward.
9. Compliments
Something simple that you can easily implement in your classroom is student compliments. I suggest having a compliment jar or mailbox. Then throughout the day when students notice another student doing something kind, brave, generous, etc. they can write their compliment about that person and put it in the jar/box. During the next morning/ end of the day meeting, you can share the compliments for that day.
Usually, I have found that when you first start students are shy and you won’t get many. So, what I do is during the meeting I will start by complimenting students I have seen and then I will ask students if they would like to give any compliments. This usually helps get the conversation flowing. Compliments can be a great circle time activity or if you have a rough day it is a great way to end the day positively.
This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
When building a fun and effective classroom community you should start right away. But then continuously build classroom community throughout the whole school year. Gaining student relationships and community doesn’t happen instantly. You need to start by taking small steps and implementing these effective strategies. This is an adventure but once your students feel safe, respected, welcomed, and heard, your classroom possibilities are endless. It’s time for you to build classroom community!
Some Other Great Blogs to Check Out For Beginning of the School Year:
Flexible Seating for Middle School
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