Well hello you! ๐ So glad you stopped by today! ๐ I’m linking up with a few other bloggers to chat about building classroom community. There are tons of ways that I could have talked about, but here are the three that have worked for a ton!
At my school we have what is called a ‘duty free lunch’ which means we don’t have to do any jobs during lunch except for eat. This is a great time for me to have organic conversations with my kids about their daily lives and get to know them! It’s usually an incentive throughout the year, but at the beginning of the year, I just do it…just to do it. Kids really love hanging out with their teacher and I love hearing all their excited chatter! ๐ It’s a ton of fun!
Don’t forget, parents are only human and they want to hear good things about their kids!
Try to call every parent some time in the first two weeks of school with something sweet about their child. For some children, no one has ever called just to say hello and something GOOD like, I’m so glad your child is in my class! It’s a huge way to boost morale and build a relationship with your parents.
Teach your students by example that specific verbal praise is important. Model what you want to see, then role play with the kids. You’d be surprised how teaching these behaviors at the beginning of the year fosters community and a spirit of helpfulness in your classroom. Hope you enjoyed these quick tidbits…make sure you check out some of the other free concepts and ideas hosted in the space below.
