7 Ways to Create Community in the Classroom
This school year marks a return to the classroom for many students and teachers. After so much upheaval, how can we cultivate a supportive and nourishing space where students can thrive?
In 2014 Peace in Schools began offering for-credit mindfulness classes in public high schools across Portland, Oregon. In celebration of 7 years working directly with teens, we offer up 7 ways to create community in the classroom.
1. Be Present
No big surprise with this one - presence is kind of our whole thing! In all seriousness - the independent research on our programs really highlights that HOW we are with our students is actually *just* as important as the curriculum itself. How we interact with and respond to students can generate positive and transformative outcomes. So take a breath. Pause. Ask yourself “What am I present to?” to check what you’re carrying with you (emotions, self-talk, etc) before you walk into the classroom. Practice curiosity, self-compassion, and non-judgment with yourself. And you don’t have to do it in secret - students will be deeply impacted by seeing you prioritize presence.
2. Make it special
A classroom IS a community. Whether or not we call it that or nurture it doesn’t change that truth. One way we make it really feel like a supportive community in our classrooms is by creating special traditions - things that only this group of humans, this precious community, do together. They can be fun, weird, quirky - but most importantly, they are co-created. Que: a silly class mascot, a question of the day, a daily dance break...sky’s the limit.
3. Allow Authenticity
We practice skillful self-disclosure in our classrooms. As teachers we, thoughtfully and on-purpose, share personally about ourselves and our lives. Not all the time, not to center ourselves. We do this because we know that our students crave connection and realness is one of the #1 ways to foster that. We model that there can be a quiet and graceful strength in vulnerability. We model that it is ok to be as you are. Maybe it’s just being real that you had a tough morning, that you are worried about your mom, that you’re not sure what to do about something in your life and it’s weighing on you. Can anyone relate?
4. Greet EVERY student EVERY day
Yes, you read that right. Taking the extra 10-30 seconds of time per student is worth it. Our teachers make a practice of saying hello to each and every student before the start of class. This may be the only 10 seconds one of your students feels seen in their entire day. It’s always worth it.
5. Circle back
One of the quickest ways to lose trust is to say that you will do something and not do it - or to ask for feedback but then do nothing in response. A powerful way to build trust and community is to circle back to your students to demonstrate that you are listening and that you care. In our classrooms, we have students fill out a “get-to-know-you” worksheet and then our teachers make sure they circle back to each student at least once during the semester. “Hey, I love funky socks too! How did you get into that?”
6. Provide REAL choices, often
Allow students to have real input over how the class spends their time and energy. Regularly provide choices - big and small - individual and collective. And you get to keep your eye on what’s best for all by consciously choosing when and how to take their input - providing choice doesn’t mean every day is a free for all! Here’s the key: it must be an area where you are really willing to go either way or a new direction entirely. “Today we can do lesson X or Y - let’s take a vote” … and then really go with their vote! Students will feel your openness and willingness to meet them where they are.
7. Mix it up
One-on-one, small groups, written, share out loud, improv, role plays, storytelling - what are all the ways a student can participate? Whenever it’s possible, mixing it up allows each student to have time participating in the way they prefer. “Today we are going to share in small groups, but tomorrow we’ll do individual written responses so don’t worry writers, you’ll get your moment! I see you.” In a sense, mixing it up is a way to take turns speaking to each student’s learning style and way of connecting. If every student has an opportunity to share and connect in their favorite way at some point in the class or semester, it will nourish a sense of belonging - there’s space for everyone to be as they are. The community will be stronger as a whole.