By Cammy Harbison

Cammy Harbison Cammy writes about technology, innovation, social media, education and others topics. A graduate of East Carolina University, she worked as a public school teacher for 5 years. Family, friends and an insatiable book fetish occupy the majority of her free time

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How to build a stronger sense of community in the classroom

Posted on July 27, 2012 By Cammy Harbison Education

Today’s classrooms are more diverse than ever before. As a result, teachers find themselves searching for ways to meet the needs of each student. Add to it the pressures of academic achievement goals mandated by NCLB and many may feel ill-equipped to meet the challenges of diversity in the classroom.

Planning perfect lessons with exciting activities looks great on paper, but will it help your students reach their potential? Probably not. If there is anything I learned during my time as a public school teacher is this: The height of student achievement is directly correlated with the strength of the classroom community. By building  community in the classroom, you build an environment where students feel safe to learn, grow and be themselves.

Building a caring classroom is the surest way to achieve the results you desire.

Here are a few ways to build a community of caring learners, focused on achievement and inclusion:

  • Know your students: A favorite saying of my former principal was “they don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care.” In other words, take the time to build a relationshipwith all students in the class. Each Monday before the week began I would make time for students to share what they did over the weekend. This is a simple gesture but one that opens the doors to communication and builds in the students a sense that “my teacher cares about me.”

    Build sense of community

    Students don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care.

  • Value contributions: For students to achieve, they must feel they are valued and that the classroom is a safe place to be and work. Regardless of abilities or background, each child brings something unique to the classroom. Work to discover those special points and capitalize on them.
  • Promote teamwork: Classrooms where student achievement is highest are often those that allow student to work together in teams to reach a common goal. Group collaboration allows student to work in a way that is less competitive and leads to greater understanding of content overall and of each other.
  • Make respect for all a requirement: This component is truly the one which binds all the others together. A teacher should first and foremost be the champion of every child in his or her classroom. Nip issues such as name calling or unwillingness to work with certain people in the bud. Take the time to teach lessons on respecting others or hold classroom meetings to resolve issues. As students see teachers consistently uphold respect as a requirement, they will respond with respect, increasing the strength of classroom ties.

Find more resources for building a classroom community here:

League for Innovation

Inspiring Teachers

Teaching Strategies

Responsive Classroom

Teaching Channel

Do you have any particular tips for building community in your classroom?

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  • http://www.facebook.com/stacey.k.robinson.5 Stacey Kestler Robinson

    Excellent Ideas! I pick 3 students to eat with on Thursday. This is so special to them and I get to know them more personally!

    • Cammy Harbison

      Thanks for the input Stacy! Great idea also!

  • Nancy Lindhjem

    I would like to add Tribes Learning Communities to your list of suggested resources at the end of your blog. Tribes is a well established, comprehensive researched-based process that has a proven track record of building a positive school culture. It is a process that includes both children and adults in the development of a caring school environment – and it offers specific trainings for teachers and administrators from preschool through high school. The four Tribes community agreements, mutual respect, attentive listening, the right to pass, and appreciations/no put-downs, are the glue that holds this process together, while improving student engagement, student achievement, teacher morale, and significantly reducing disciplinary issues. The Tribes process is a systemic endeavor that moves the both adults and children in the school through three stages of group development, inclusion, influence, and community. Tribes is the “how” of building a positive learning community. Check it out!

    • Cammy Harbison

      sounds good! I definitely will!

  • zep

    I ask of all of us teachers, are the students in your classroom allowed to walk out of your class, without your permission to get a drink of water, to use the restroom, or simply because they need a break? I encourage all of us to reflect on the hypocrisy of claiming “make respect for all a requirement”, a common claim good hearted teachers make, when all students are expected to reach the same objectives, have the same graduation requirements, and wherein all real power lies in the hands of the teacher, who must adhere to the power of the principal, who must adhere to the power of the superintendent. How is such a hierarchical power structure possibly respectful of anyone, least of all the students? The essential question, to borrow a term from “best practices” is, can a student be respected when they have no real freedom? There are schools that have shattered this structure, truly empowering students & thereby shifting towards real respect of each unique person, Free Schools. It is with this in mind that I embark on my annual pilgrimage to the AERO Conference (http://www.educationrevolution.org/), where I am continually challenged to reflect upon my own thinking regarding education and continue to hopefully grow towards one who practices what they preach.

    • KMullins

      Good point.. and I agree… Part of my classroom environment includes a set of wooden passes hanging on the wall near (but not right next to) the door… if/when a student needs to go to the restroom or get a drink, they are taught, they may take the pass, put it on their desk and go. It’s on the desk so I know where they are. If they have to go to the nurse, they need a separate note from me to accompany them, but by putting the nurse pass on their desk, they let me know their need, and I address it when timing is right. This is one of the procedures I teach at the start of the year when we also discuss the importance of “timing” and when it’s “appropriate” to leave (i.e. NOT when the teacher or another student is talking, unless ABSOLUTE emergency, which is throw up or blood). I keep track, quietly, on a clipboard I always have in hand with my lessons and the class list (I teach grades 4-8 for an hour each throughout the day) If a student begins to abuse the privilege, I point out where I see the overuse is and discuss other options (when they arrive to class- ask if they need to go then and there to avoid going in the middle of class, for example). Just thought I’d share. =)

      • http://twitter.com/2lead2day Cammy H

        yeah I definitely think freedom is important, however, without some tempering then you have anarchy on your hands. As you said, teaching procedures is essential to a productive and peaceful classroom, but once those are in place the doors are wide open.

    • http://twitter.com/2lead2day Cammy H

      I believe where good routines, communication and social skills are taught and modeled a lot of freedom can be had on the part of students. I often had my students working in groups -self chosen or by me, in any area of the room they desired and in any seating arrangement – including under my desk as long as the “rules” which benefited all adhered to. We would often establish these at the start of the year in a class meeting where we would discuss pros and cons of working in groups and how to make the work the best in groups. The students for the most part made up the rules themselves so there was more buy in and again a stronger sense of community.

  • KEK

    After having a very challenging year, I’m ready to start the new school year with a better attitude and new ideas. I agree and value your ideas on building a positive classroom environment. I think my biggest obstacle last year was focusing too much on getting through the content rather than really focusing on what several of my students needed to be successful in and out of the classroom. I felt that I had built a community of good learners but some of my students lacked the social skills needed to work effectively with other students. I’m making it a priority this year to teach lessons on character rather than briefly discussing them. I want my students to have a true understanding of the importance of respect, responsibility, and safety by participating in group activities that promote positive social interaction. If I provide activities like this each morning, I’m hopeful that my students will apply their learning to other aspects of life.

    • http://twitter.com/2lead2day Cammy H

      KEK – you are SPOT on in your analysis of what your students truly need to be successful. I also found after a VERY challenging first couple of years in teaching that, as much as we worry over test scores and student growth, those things don’t matter as much as equipping our students with more of the “soft skills” of life. My third year I began to strongly focus on building a community in my classroom, investing whatever time or energy was necessary to make the environment a pleasant one that encouraged everyone and taught respect and communication skills. To my incredible surprise, after focusing so much energy on non-academic skills, my students outscored every other class in the grade level! From that day forward I was convinced; these are the REAL skills that matter if we want our students to succeed.

  • KMullins

    I’m so glad you wrote this: “…take the time to build a relationshipwith all students in the class. Each Monday before the week began I would make time for students to share what they did over the weekend. ”
    I do this, too, and always feel a twinge of guilt because I worry I’m spending too much time “chatting”.. but I see the benefits.. the students just seemt to wake up after our “chats” and totally start participating! Thank you for a great, rejuvenating blog posting!

    • http://twitter.com/2lead2day Cammy H

      Its so funny, to me the things we often view as “wastes of instructional time” are often the most valuable – ie read alouds, class meetings, morning chats etc. – for making the classroom go smoothly! Once you get those kids feeling they are part of a place where they belong, and contributions are valued, the workflow increases dramatically. Its like you see your classroom transform int a mini workhouse! Take care of that basic human need of love and acceptance, and its amazing what can happen!
      Glad you enjoyed!