1. Invite students to class (Wong 2001)
Every year on the first day of school I stand outside my door and personally greet each and every one of my students. I shake their hand, tell them my name and welcome them to my class. I do this so that I make sure every one of my students knows that I see them, that they are important and that they are welcome in my class.
2. Starting off the school year with chances to learn everyone's names (Olson 2009)
Although I confess, the idea of first day of school ice breakers used to make me groan, I cannot deny that it always helped me to learn other peoples names. All too often, especially when class sizes are large, it is possible to go throughout an entire school year without knowing the names of your peers. This is not acceptable in my class because it is respectful to call someone by their correct name and I use several activities at the beginning of each school year to get each student learning each other names.
3. Allow students a choice in deciding classroom expectations (Wong 2001)
When enforcing rules it is necessary for everyone to come to an agreement about why each rule is in place. By allowing students to have a choice in what rules we should enforce, such as, be respectful to all classmates, always complete homework on time, they make an agreement not only with me but with each other as to how they are going to behave for the rest of the year. It is only natural to want to have some control over what you can or cannot do in any situation and when students fully understand the rules they will be more likely to follow them. Below is an example of how I collect information on what our class rules should be.
Every year on the first day of school I stand outside my door and personally greet each and every one of my students. I shake their hand, tell them my name and welcome them to my class. I do this so that I make sure every one of my students knows that I see them, that they are important and that they are welcome in my class.
2. Starting off the school year with chances to learn everyone's names (Olson 2009)
Although I confess, the idea of first day of school ice breakers used to make me groan, I cannot deny that it always helped me to learn other peoples names. All too often, especially when class sizes are large, it is possible to go throughout an entire school year without knowing the names of your peers. This is not acceptable in my class because it is respectful to call someone by their correct name and I use several activities at the beginning of each school year to get each student learning each other names.
3. Allow students a choice in deciding classroom expectations (Wong 2001)
When enforcing rules it is necessary for everyone to come to an agreement about why each rule is in place. By allowing students to have a choice in what rules we should enforce, such as, be respectful to all classmates, always complete homework on time, they make an agreement not only with me but with each other as to how they are going to behave for the rest of the year. It is only natural to want to have some control over what you can or cannot do in any situation and when students fully understand the rules they will be more likely to follow them. Below is an example of how I collect information on what our class rules should be.
4. Classroom expectations agreement (Wong 2001)
Once our classroom rules are discussed and decided upon I create a classroom expectations agreement. This agreement is given to each student to be signed themselves and to be signed by a parent. I three-whole punch this statement so that it can be kept in each students binder as a reminder of what I expect from them and also what to expect from each other.
4. Classroom expectations agreement (Wong 2001)
Once our classroom rules are discussed and decided upon I create a classroom expectations agreement. This agreement is given to each student to be signed themselves and to be signed by a parent. I three-whole punch this statement so that it can be kept in each students binder as a reminder of what I expect from them and also what to expect from each other.
5. Encouraging Students to Participate in School Events (Kohn 2006)
Teaching at a high school provides many opportunities to participate in school wide community building events such as clubs, sports and music groups. I do what I can to attend and participate in as many of these events as I can and encourage my students to do so as well. I often ask my whole class if they are planning to attend this weeks football or basketball game and encourage them to do so together. Seeing each other in relaxed, and fun school atmosphere's can help create even more of a community within the classroom.
Kohn, A. (2006). Beyond discipline from compliance to community (10th anniversary ed., 2nd ed.). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Olson, K. (2009). Wounded by school: Recapturing the joy in learning and standing up to old school culture. New York: Teachers College Press.
Wong, H., & Wong, R. (2001). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.
Teaching at a high school provides many opportunities to participate in school wide community building events such as clubs, sports and music groups. I do what I can to attend and participate in as many of these events as I can and encourage my students to do so as well. I often ask my whole class if they are planning to attend this weeks football or basketball game and encourage them to do so together. Seeing each other in relaxed, and fun school atmosphere's can help create even more of a community within the classroom.
Kohn, A. (2006). Beyond discipline from compliance to community (10th anniversary ed., 2nd ed.). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Olson, K. (2009). Wounded by school: Recapturing the joy in learning and standing up to old school culture. New York: Teachers College Press.
Wong, H., & Wong, R. (2001). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.