Community building in the Classroom

1. Community building in the Classroom Reference: Vanston Shaw

2. The Classroom as Community � What you do speaks so loudly, they can�t hear what you say.� want to create a community of learners a cohesive classroom gives students a sense of support and improves their sense of self worth as teacher you are creator and curator of the classroom environment teach social skills to resolve issues of INCLUSION, INFLUENCE, OPENNESS, and COMMUNITY

3. Inclusion issue is resolved when students feel they are part of a team/class revolves around ideas of self-presentation, building trust, and building a sense of safety within the group occurs at a class and team level may begin with a getting acquainted activity e.g. line up; team handshake

4. Influence issue is resolved when all students feel that they have impact in the class/group evident when team members feel safe enough to assert their points of view when problems emerge, strategies for resolving the conflict may need to be taught e.g. valuing individual differences

5. Openness issue is resolved when students trust each other enough to share personal information have to nurture this component and allow it to grow modeled by the teacher �sharing self� corresponds to the teaching of relationship skills e.g. active listening, affirmations

6. Community is reached when the issues have all been resolved community building is cyclical NOT linear may need to revisit various issues from time to time as they appear or disappear substantiated in William Glasser�s research when he refers to the �need to belong�

7. Classbuilding occurs throughout the year Spencer Kagan identifies five elements in class building: 1. getting acquainted 2. building a class identity 3. experiencing mutual support 4. valuing individual differences 5. synergy

8. Getting Acquainted activities that allow students to present themselves to the class in a safe manner may include: * alliterative names (Clever Carol) * sharing shields (with info on self) * pass the feather sharing ( favorite food) with affirmation * student search (people bingo)

9. Building Class Identity establish the uniqueness of the class activities might include: * think-pair-share (class name) * create a class banner * animal corners ( identify animal with which you identify, write it down, go to the corner, and discuss the reasons for their choices) * sailboat and rowboat ( choose a boat and interview students with similar and different choices)

10. Mutual Support assist students in finding out more about themselves as well as developing a regard for classmates activities might include: * electricity (pass energy around the circle by squeezing hand of person next to you) * pass-a �classmate * trust walk (pairs guide each other)

11. Valuing individual Differences provide opportunities for student s to see each other from a different perspective activities might include: * animal corners * sailboat and rowboat * values line up (line progresses from agreed to disagreed on a topic e.g. rap music, year long school)

12. Synergy synergy exists when two or more create something better than someone alone could do activities to develop synergy might be: * living class machine * class formations that involve everyone in the class e.g. shapes of continents * team handshake

13. The Three R�s the new three R�s may become� RELATEDNESS RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY important to teach relationship skills and build self-esteem (Lickona) � I am a teacher; I touch the future� Christa McAuliffe