ABC’s of a Strong Classroom Community

When it comes to building a strong classroom community, the beginning of the school year is the ideal time to start. However, it's never too late to cultivate a sense of fellowship among students. A classroom community is characterized by feelings of care, safety, acceptance, equality, and belonging. 

But remember, building a strong classroom community requires intentional and consistent efforts from the teacher. In this blog post, we will explore the ABCs of creating a caring classroom environment.

Now, this doesn't happen instantly or haphazardly…

…this type of classroom community requires the teacher to be intentional and consistent.

How can you intentionally and consistently build a strong classroom community?

Start by creating a caring classroom environment!

Before jumping into academics, you've got to start with the heart! Students learn more when they believe we care about them and believe in their ability to learn. Here are some ideas to show your students you care.

The ABCs of a Caring Classroom

• Apologize when you make a mistake. (If you model apologizing, your students will be able to do it too.)
• Bring treats…students love treats.
• Celebrate students with five-second classroom cheers.
• Dance! Dance parties are great stress relievers and fun!
• Encourage students to share their feelings.
• Follow up with a phone call home when celebrating students.
• Greet your students every morning at the door with a hug, high five or handshake.
• Hang a class picture or candid class photos up in the room.
• Invite students' parents to a class celebration. For example, Author's Day.
• Jot down students personal facts you want to remember.
• Keep an eye out for kids being left out during recess or PE.
• Listen whole-heartedly: Show genuine interest by actively listening to your students, making them feel understood and valued.
• Make it a point to get to know your students by asking questions.
• Name drop! Brag about your students; especially when they're within earshot!
• Opinions matter. Encourage students to share their thoughts.
• Praise, praise, praise! – (Read more about it here!)
• Question students to get to know them better.
• Redirect behaviors in private. When addressing behavioral issues, do so privately to avoid embarrassing the student and maintain their dignity.
• Squat down at their level when students are emotional. Show empathy by physically lowering yourself to the student's eye level when they are upset or emotional, providing comfort and understanding.
• Teach students how to be good friends.
• Understand different viewpoints.
• Vote! Involve students in decision-making processes to empower them and make them feel their opinions matter.
• Write encouraging notes to your students ~ *Click here for FREE notes.
• Xpect the best from your students.
• You can play with them at recess time, sometimes!
• Zap negative mindsets by helping a student reframe his/her thinking.

Building a strong classroom community is a continuous process that starts with creating a caring environment. By implementing the ABCs of a Caring Classroom, you can foster fellowship, acceptance, and mutual respect among your students. Remember, it's never too late to start building a strong classroom community, and your efforts will make a lasting impact on your students' educational journey. Let's prioritize the heart and let our students know that we genuinely care about them and their growth. Together, we can create a nurturing and empowering learning environment

*The free notes are available for teachers that have access to my blog's resource library. If you don't have a password yet, sign up and you'll get one right away! Once you sign up, use the password to enter the library and download the free notes! Plus, you'll get access to many more FREE resources.