Creating a safe community for our students

Especially at the beginning of the school year when students may be feel extra anxious about grade level changes, new classmates, new teachers, and in some cases a brand new school; it is important to create a welcoming environment where students feel safe and part of a community. I know this year alone, I have 2 students that spent their last academic year in the virtual academy, 1 student who was home schooled, and 2 students who moved from out of state. I think about how different this must be for them and what I can do to help transition into this new reality for them.

After watching a video titled, "Starting Each Class With a Warm Welcome" on Edutopia.com, I was able to reflect more on my own morning meeting and got ideas of what I can incorporate into them to help create a trusting relationship with my students. Here are a few take aways I took from the video. How have you been utilizing these strategies and are you maintaining them throughout the school year.

Quick Daily Check Ins

This practice gives all students to opportunity to express the emotions as they come into the classroom. At my school we have taught a the Zones of Regulations, but admittedly I do not speak of it nearly as often. In the video I saw boards, that were created with the use of technology, that let students drag their names into different categories that represented their feelings in that moment. (Starting Each Class with a Warm Welcome, 2021b) By introducing this into their daily routine it also encourages students to self reflect and check in with before their day starts.

Zones of Regulation - Hunters Bar Infant School

Go-Around Questions

In Go-Around Questions students are brought together in a circle, like sitting around the carpet and are presented with a question. This seemed pretty simple when I first heard it, but the aspect I liked about it is that it does not always have to be a serious question but instead it can be a silly question or even based on a theme. The video offered a strategy called Rose and Thorn, allowing students to share one thing that makes them happy and one thing that they may be struggling with. (Starting Each Class with a Warm Welcome, 2021b)

Circles Games - Restorative Approaches - a teacher's guide

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice that I believe I have included appropriately into the school day. We take time to practice our breathing, stretching, or even go through a do guided meditation as a class. When I notice that my students seem more riled up than usual, for example when coming back from a special or after recess, I use these strategies to help them calm themselves and create a soothing environment prior to beginning of a lesson.

Greet Every Student at the Door

Greeting every student at the door is a practice I would hope is part every teacher's daily routine, especially at the Elementary level. At my school it is an expectation to greet every student as they enter the classroom; by doing so you are able to pick up on little facial expressions that might lead to a needed conversation. Overall starting your students' day off with a smile lets them know that they are cared for and that you are excited to see them. I use visuals at my door that allows my students to choose how they would like to greet me in the morning. In addition to the "Buenos Dias" we will exchange, students can give me a toe tap, elbow bump, heart hands etc. These small interactions can make a big difference in my opinion.