Chapter Two- Part Six- The School as a Community

The authors end this chapter by challenging you to share the idea of a classroom community with your entire school! Sometimes it only takes one teacher to start a project with other classes that can benefit the whole school. Some ideas might be: school beautification, family projects, community service, etc..

To close this chapter, I want to share another item from my inservice with Judy Jablon. This training was for supervisors and she gave us a checklist for things to look for in a "Classroom Community"

Teachers:

• use children's names, smiling, and modeling respectful interactions
• set up a meeting area large enough to accommodate all the children sitting in circle (so they can see and hear each other)
• hold daily class meetings throughout the day for different purposes (e.g. to start the day, facilitate transitions, lessons, and to get closure at the end of the day)
• teach and reinforce specific problem solving strategies
• teach friendship skills (using modeling, role-playing, and social coaching)

Children:

• take turns, share, and give and receive help
• engage in cooperative learning and peer coaching
• show respect for the environment and other people
• solve social problems and resolve conflicts
• converse and interact during work times and class meetings

I hope this list helps you think about your classroom and ways to improve. For my national board friends, I hope you can see connections to your entry on your own classroom community. If you have questions or would like to discuss this chapter, leave a comment!

Whitney