Chapter Two- Part Four- Helping Children Relate Positively to Others

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Judy Jablon at an inservice about using her book in improving standards-based classrooms. She said that in primary classrooms you should see:

• A welcoming atmosphere and environment (teachers and children using each others' names, smile, and interact respectfully)
• Children taking turns, sharing materials, and giving and receiving help from one another
• Lots of conversations and interaction related to work and play experiences
• A meeting area large enough to accommodate all children
• Evidence of children using social problem-solving strategies

Isn't that a great picture of a classroom? But, of course, you don't see these things over night. You must teach children how to relate positively to others. It takes a lot of modeling and direct instruction. This means treating children with same respect they give adults.

Think about when and how you talk to your students. Greeting students each morning is a great way to connect with each child on a personal level. try to think of something specific and personal to say every day. In the same way, sending a child home each day at dismissal with a positive message is just as important. During the day, find ways to be a good model of respect. Teach your students what to say and do and set your standards high. Research confirms that when teachers convey high expectations, children are more likely to be successful. So, treat mistakes as learning opportunities. Look for students who have difficulty making and keeping friends. Collaboration fosters learning. So, it is important to teach students how to work collaboratively and facilitate working together to reach goals.

What are some activities that you use to promote collaboration? You may want to google "Kagan Cooperative Learning". You will find some good strategies that they try to sell to you... but you are probably already doing a lot of them. Leave a comment and tell us about collaboration in your classroom!

Whitney

Chapter Two- Part Three- Using Meetings to Build a Sense of Community

This is one of my favorite aspects of this book--using class meetings to enhance teaching and learning! Many teachers begin to phase out "circle time" starting in the first or second grade, but having a "meeting area" in your room is key to building your classroom community. The goal of your class meetings is to show your students that there can be many possible solutions to problems and that the group can make decisions together.
The authors suggest including these different types of meetings:

1. Meetings to start the day- The first meeting of the day will become part of your classroom routine. This is the time to welcome your students each day, review the class schedule, and discuss plans for the day. Your meeting might include greeting your students, reviewing a morning message, reciting a poem or singing a song the class has learned, or introducing the next activity with a short lesson. Several of these activities could be led by the teacher or a student. (I personally feel very strongly about using a morning message and will go into this in more detail when we get to the chapter on Language and Literacy.)
2. Meetings at Transition Times- We all know how hectic transitions during your day can be. A brief meeting to share a poem, play a group game, or review a lesson can bring everyone together to move on to a new activity more smoothly.
3. Meetings for Discussions- The key to this type of meetings is teaching the students to not only discuss matters with you, but also their peers. Discussions might focus on background knowledge to introduce a lesson or reflection on activities done prior to the meeting. Discussions might also focus on your classroom community. Topics might include: planning jobs, establishing rules, discussing problems and solutions, introducing/modeling/practicing a social skills, introducing a new game or new materials, or planning a classroom celebration. it really empowers children to know that you respect their opinion and want to hear their ideas!
4. Emergency Meetings- Look for those "teachable moments" when you might need to stop a lesson and look at the weather or a discovery made by a child.
5. Coming Together at the End of the Day- End each day on a positive note!

Of course, there are some logistics to making your class meetings effective. First, you must set up a "meeting area", decide how you will get to and from the area, and how you will sit. Meetings cannot be too long so that the children stop paying attention. It is important to teach and model speaking and listening skills. It is important to call attention to your use of these skills. Be sure to include everyone in your discussions and teach respect for individual differences.
If you are having class meetings in your own classroom, what are some tips and tricks that you use to keep your meetings running smoothly? Leave a comment by clicking the "comment" button below this post!

Chapter Two- Part Two- Welcoming Children to the Classroom Community

When a child walks into your classroom, what do they see?

You probably started working on your classroom weeks before school started. This is where your classroom community begins. You can start building relationships with children and their families by sending a postcard or letter to introduce yourself and welcome students to your classroom. We always had kindergarten testing and was able to meet each family individually as they brought their children before school for screening. Some teachers give a opening week assignment such as filling out a personal information sheet or bringing a show-and-tell item that shows a particular interest they have. This can build a sense of belonging by enabling everyone to learn something about each member of the class.

Classroom Displays
Research suggests that students use classroom displays more if they help make them or if they are present when they are made and displayed. So, the authors suggest not spending lots of money on pre-made bulletin board displays. Instead, leaving empty spaces conveys the message: "This is our classroom, and we will decide together how to decorate it." They suggest displaying photographs of the students. You can ask for pictures from home or take the student's picture on the first days of school. Don't forget to include pictures of yourself and other adults that may work with your students.

Children's Names
Writing student's names around the room gives them some ownership of the environment. You can label cubbies and desks, put their names on the class word wall, make a bulletin board introducing your students, etc. Make sure that you are able to pronounce your student's names correctly before the first day of school! Have lots of activities the first week that introduce students to each other, help students learn each other's names, and are non-threatening.

Classroom Orientation
The authors suggest planning time to introduce students to your classroom organization and routines. Modeling the use of all materials is good idea. Do not take for granted that all students know how to use basic materials. (We will discuss room arrangement and introducing materials will be discussed in the next chapter.)
Discuss the location and procedure for using the restroom. Keep in mind that children feel more secure if they know they can comfortably use the bathroom when necessary.
Discuss the location of important places in the school. Last, but not least, teach your signal for getting students' attention.

So, what are your favorite activities for welcoming your students to your classroom each year? My daughter had a teacher that made the students' pictures on the first day of school then made a collage for each student to take home. My daughter was so excited to come home and tell me about her new friends, so I have been doing this ever since. I keep the original pictures in a class book in our class library, so the kids can look at the pictures and "read" everyone's name.
Leave us a comment and tell us how you welcome your kids!
Whitney