Where Learning Thrives: The Power of Classroom Community
Written by: Carol Howard
Imagine a classroom that feels like a second home. A place where students are celebrated for their unique personalities, and where learning goes hand-in-hand with emotional well-being. This vision is even more important today. Shaped by technology, evolving times, and perhaps even parenting styles, students today have unique learning needs. Building a strong classroom community is a mission I’ve embraced for the past thirteen years, with every new class bringing a fresh opportunity to connect and grow together.
Changing Needs
After 20 years in education, I’ve witnessed a dramatic change in the students entering my classroom. I have noticed a huge shift in student needs. Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? The pyramid with food and safety at the bottom? Students need those needs met before they can thrive in the classroom. A hungry student will struggle to focus and learn. Schools have recognized this need and provide free breakfast and lunch programs. Students need to be provided a safe space to learn, free from fear, violence, and chaos. These needs must be met before students can focus on higher-level needs like love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization. This means creating a classroom community starts well before students even step through the door.
“The family wall personalizes the classroom space and builds a sense of belonging.”
Building Bridges Before School Starts
The second I get that class list, I know it’s time to start building that awesome classroom community feeling! So, I start by sending out some welcome letters to the students and emails to their parents. For the parents, my goal is clear: let them know their child is already loved in my class. For the students, it’s about familiarity. In both letters, I put my picture and some fun facts about myself and my family. Then I ask them to send a family picture too! These pictures become our very own “Family Wall” – a friendly face-filled reminder of home right there in the classroom. By Back-to-School Night, it’s all set up, ready to comfort those first-day jitters and make everyone feel welcome. The family wall personalizes the classroom space and builds a sense of belonging. I leave a spot in the middle of the family wall that says “Class Family coming soon”. Then on day one I take a group picture of our new family and place it in the middle of the board.
On the night of the open house, I distribute a QR code that links to a video of me reading a story “The Night Before Kindergarten.” In the video, I let them know how excited I am about having them in my class. Establishing a tight-knit classroom community revolves around forming connections. And these connections begin well before the first day.
Celebrating Diversity, Building Our Family
Day one we dive into stories about families, celebrating the beautiful diversity of family structures. I want every student to feel welcome, regardless of their family background. We emphasize that a family is about the people who love and care for you and that our classroom is becoming a bigger family unit built on love and respect. Some of my favorite books are: “What Makes a Family” by Pam Munoz Ryan, “My Family, Your Family, Our Families” by Emma Carlson Berne, and “All Are Welcome” by Alexandra Penfold.
Building Our Dream Team: The Howard Bunch!
After we celebrate the amazing diversity of our families, it’s time to build our very own classroom family! We get inspired by a book called “Our Class is a Family” by Shannon Olsen. Then we create a “Family House Chart” together. Students get to brainstorm what things we should and should not do to have a happy learning environment. Students have a say in what they believe fosters a positive learning environment. Then each student signs the school and we hang it in the classroom so it’s a constant reminder that we’re all in this together, working towards a super year! This way, everyone feels invested and responsible for creating a space where we can all thrive! From day one I don’t refer to them as students, I refer to them as family. Each one of them is an important part of our classroom family. From that moment on we become “The Howard Bunch.”
Morning Meetings: Building Connections Every Day
There are several things that are part of our daily routine which sets the tone for our day and our family. Every morning, when they come into the classroom they choose their lunch choice, answer a “Question of the Day” and visit our “Wish Well” before starting morning tubs. Our day starts with gathering for school announcements and then a morning song.
We kickstart our day by having our morning meeting. It’s a chance to connect with our classroom family and let everyone know we’re excited to be learning together. First things first: greetings! This year, we’re learning a new “hello” every week from a different language. From a simple “Hola” in Spanish to a respectful “Namaste” in Hindi, these greetings encourage inclusivity and spark curiosity about the world around us. Most importantly, I emphasize the importance of eye contact when greeting each other. It’s a small gesture but a powerful way to convey respect and show we’re truly listening.
Over the year, we learn more than 25 ways to say good morning. During shorter weeks or at the end of the year, students are given the freedom to choose how they greet me. Students even start using the greetings with other teachers, which warms my heart.
Building Self-Esteem: Affirmations and More
After saying good morning to everyone, including our classroom turtle Romeo, we cultivate a positive self-image by incorporating a round of self-affirmations into our morning meeting. Students repeat positive statements about themselves and their peers.
Our Affirmation:
I am kind, I am special, I am a good friend, I believe in myself, I believe in you (point at a classmate) My teachers believe in me, my teachers love me, I am a learner, I am a listener, I am a leader, I am smarter than I think, I am braver than I seem, I am stronger than I feel, I can do hard things.
We then follow with a quick “air hug” and recite our school motto: “Creating a Community of Learners and Leaders.”
These affirmations not only boost self-esteem but also set a supportive and encouraging tone for the day
We revisit the Question of the Day. These questions are designed to be light and engaging, prompting discussions and helping us learn about each other’s experiences and interests. “Did you learn how to ride a bike yet?” or “What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?” are just a few examples.
A Heartfelt Connection: Our Classroom Wish Well
Our Wish Well is a magnetic cookie sheet with a heart and all of their pictures. It allows students to move themselves into the heart and anonymously share any concerns or worries they may have. This allows them to express their feelings while knowing they are supported by their classroom family. We also put a student in the Wish Well if they are absent, so when they return they know that we were thinking of them. I ask three students to share their Wish Well and then I say, “All of your feelings and thoughts are important to our family and we will send you Wish Wells.” We then make a heart in front of our chest, count to three, and send out Wish Wells.
The Howard Bunch Theme Song: Celebrating Our Classroom Family
The last part of our morning meeting is our family song. We call ourselves “The Howard Bunch”, and I wrote a song that goes to the tune of the Brady Bunch theme This song playfully captures the love of our unique learning family and the special bond we share. Here is our song:
Here’s a story of a kindergarten teacher, whose room looked just like a beach
There are books and games and toys, and a turtle
And she was ready to teach.
Here’s a story of kindergarten students who were ready to learn laugh and grow
There were 14 girls and 7 boys and they were ready to go
Until the one day when this teacher met her students, they knew it was much more than a hunch
That this group must somehow form a family, and that’s the way they became the Howard Bunch.
“Building a strong classroom family takes time, intentionality, and a whole lot of heart. It’s not always easy, but the rewards are immeasurable.”
Final Thoughts
Building a strong classroom family takes time, intentionality, and a whole lot of heart. It’s not always easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. By the end of the year, my students – The Howard Bunch – know they’re part of something special. They leave with a deep sense of belonging, connection, and the memory of a safe and supportive environment. This is where they learned and grew, not just academically, but emotionally too.
Join me for part two, where we’ll delve deeper into building positive connections beyond the morning meeting. We’ll explore how these connections strengthen not only our classroom family but also the school family as a whole.
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