How can teachers be part of their community and build community in their classrooms?
Teachers play a huge part in the community, but what can they do to be more actively involved and build community in their classrooms? Here is a list of ways teachers can strengthen the community.
Teachers can be involved in their community in many ways, including:
Volunteering: Teachers can volunteer with nonprofit organizations or participate in community service projects. They can have students help with service projects when possible.
Partnering with community organizations: Teachers can invite community members to speak in class or collaborate with local organizations to make learning more relevant to the real world. Visit local businesses, museums, fire stations, and police stations, which are all great ideas that students would love.
Participating in community gardens: Community gardens can supplement fruits and vegetables for students and the community. It also provides a great hands-on learning opportunity for the students.
Connecting with parents: Teachers can involve parents in the learning process. Which will also provide opportunities for the student to thrive.
Mentoring: Teachers can mentor new teachers or support other staff members.
Joining educational organizations: Teachers can join a state or national educational organization.
Teachers can build community in their classrooms by:
Creating a safe space: Teachers can build community by engaging with students, being approachable, using students' names, and accepting questions. Helping every student to feel like they belong.
Group work: Teachers can encourage students to work in groups on assignments and set goals to work towards together. Also, prompt students to share a gesture or express gratitude to their group members.
Class meetings: Teachers can hold weekly class meetings or morning meetings with students allowing them to have a voice in the classroom. This will look different depending on the grade.
Have shared spaces: Teachers can create a gallery of student photos to help students feel valued or create an interactive bulletin board for students to contribute to. Teachers can also set up a class library and storage area for students to maintain.
Have assigned jobs: Teachers can allow the students to help during the day with little tasks to help teach about community and responsibility.
Creating a good community is beneficial in many ways. It creates a sense of belonging, provides a support system, and opportunities to collaborate and network which improves learning for everyone. Community is important to teachers in a classroom and to parents of the students. We all must do what we can to improve the community around us.
Have any questions? Come see one of our McKay Ambassadors in the McKay Commons on Mondays at 11am-1pm, Tuesdays at 1pm-3pm, and Wednesdays at 12pm-2pm. If those times don't work, click HERE to schedule an appointment with a student ambassador and to learn more.
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