Several years ago, I had the great fortune of participating in a training of trainers for developmentally appropriate practice as part of the NAEYC Annual Conference for early childhood educators. We learned that one key component of developmentally appropriate practice is to create a caring community of learners. While it has always been important, I feel like the renewed emphasis on social and emotional learning makes this idea even more relevant. It goes hand in hand with CASEL’s social and emotional learning core competency of relationship skills.
First, creating a caring community of learners requires teachers to provide warm, caring, and responsive interactions. This may seem like a no-brainer for anyone who is not an educator, but sadly, I have visited many classrooms over the years where the teacher does not exhibit these behaviors. For example, I watched a little boy enter a pre-kindergarten classroom one morning crying as he separated from his mother. Neither teacher acknowledged his emotions nor tried to comfort him. Now maybe this happens every day, but regardless, the adults should offer some type of responsive interaction if they want to build a relationship with that child and provide a caring atmosphere in the classroom.
Building relationships with others is also key to creating a caring community of learners. As young children enter school, they start forming relationships with the adults and other children in their environment. The first relationship children may have with an adult outside the home could be at school and could be the model for the rest of the relationships they will have with future teachers. One of teachers’ main goals is to build relationships with their students. This fosters a sense of well-being in children; they learn to trust and begin to believe that they are safe and worthy. When they feel safe and worthy, they will be receptive to learning.
In addition to establishing positive, constructive relationships with adults, teachers need to help their students foster relationships with peers. Providing children opportunities to work together in small groups, play together at interest areas, or referring children to one another for help, are all part of an early childhood educator’s job. CASEL’s definition of the relationship skills competency includes cooperating with others and negotiating conflict constructively. They also list teamwork and social engagement as subtopics within this competency. What better way to hone these skills than by interacting with classmates through a variety of situations during a school day.
A third component of creating a caring community of learners and strengthening relationships, is for teachers to ensure that all children are valued. This means getting to know students’ interests, learning styles, personalities, prior experiences, strengths, and challenges. By observing children, conversing with them, truly listening to them, and communicating with their families, teachers can easily collect this crucial information. This knowledge will help teachers better know who is in their classroom and how they can best help them learn.
A fourth and final component to consider when creating a caring community of learners, is to focus in on the word community. Having a sense of community means seeing oneself as belonging to a group or coming together for a common purpose. Early childhood educators need to be cognizant of the fact that this may be the first time a child will be part of a group. If they have never been to school before or have never participated in any group activities outside the home, coming together as a large group might be overwhelming. The child may seem shy or unsure how to act or may feel uncomfortable speaking in front of others.
During many years of teaching pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, I never thought about this. Now, reflecting on these ideas, I remember many children who did not want to participate in large group games or music and movement activities.
The best example was every year, I would begin with a game called “I’m Looking for a Friend.” The children stood in a circle, and I walked around the outside singing, “I’m looking for a friend, I’m looking for a friend, I’m looking for a friend, and their name is…”. Wherever I stopped, I would insert that child’s name into the song and ask them, “Do you want to be my friend?” Most children said yes, and they would grab onto my waist so we could make a friend train. We would then continue to add more to our train.
However, every year, at least one child would say no. I always thought it was odd they did not want to join in the fun, but now I understand what was happening. They were unsure about being part of our community because perhaps this was a totally foreign experience for them. That is why I always played the game again at the end of the year. By then, of course, everyone said yes to the friend train because we had truly built our community of learners.
CASEL tells us that learning is a social and interactive process that takes place with adults and other children. We also know that emotions and relationships affect how and what we learn. Therefore, having strong social and emotional skills help children do better both in school and in life. When we strive to create a caring community of learners, we are supporting social and emotional learning, which, in turn, is supporting our youngest learners to succeed.
Jennifer Fernandez
Jennifer has over 30 years of experience in education. She has degrees in Elementary Education, Spanish, and Bilingual Education and holds teaching licenses in Texas and Minnesota. She has taught PreK-2nd grade in general and bilingual settings, served as a professional learning specialist for seven years, and currently presents at state and national conferences.
Read more by Jennifer Fernandez–>
This resonates with me, because we all need a community to feel valued and safe. This is no different for children. When they feel like they are part of something, they feel more comfortable to be vulnerable in the learning process.
I whole-heartedly agree with everything you said.
It does! and I agree with you. The more we feel apart of something, the more we are comfortable and willing to learn.
Hello Mrs. (Dr.) Hernandez. This is a most insightful article. I work at a high school in NC. even though your background is in pre-k and K, some of the concepts you mention, I can use in my classroom now. Most of my students have already learned how to be in a community, but at times I see that one students who seems like an outsider. I do what I can to make them feel welcomed(belonging). When a student is sick or having an off day, I pull them aside as to not embarrassing them in front of other in the class, and aske them if they are ok. Thanks again for posting. GBY
This reading makes so much sense. Creating a community is so important. Also, making a student feel valued. We as educators should be our students role models and someone they can trust and that relationship needs to be built.
I feel this. I am working as a paraprofessional in a preschool class, as i am studying to become a teacher. I see that each student has different learning styles, emotions, etc. It is important to be there for them, as it probably isn’t easy to just be thrown into a whole new routine.
In the classroom it truly is all about your approach and understanding that everyone is different and deserves the attention and guidance to grow, some more than others. Empathy is also a big part in understanding the social and emotional connection in the classroom and understanding that everyone’s home life is not the same.
I completely agree with you. There is a student at the middle school that I work at that has grown a lot this year. The teacher, this year, has really resonated with him and made him feel included and allowed him the freedom to be himself. He does well in class and wants to work at getting good grades and learning what he can.
Reading this made me think back when I was in school. Having that caring teacher made a difference even though my home life was good I had to leave the comfort of home and go to school where I really didn’t know a-lot of people. The teacher made me feel welcomed and safe so I always wanted to come back to school ready to learn.
This resonates with me so much. I was that shy, quiet, hesitant kid that did not want to participate in group activities in school. There are kids who need the stability that comes with creating a strong, safe learning community. There are kids that won’t receive that any place else.
I truly agree with this reading. Without that positive relationship, your students will most likely not receive the most important foundation of learning, safety, love, and trust.
The concept of a community of care within the classroom or school setting speaks volumes about the value placed on not just teaching academics but on how important each person is and how each person has something to contribute to the community.
SEL development throughout the educational process is essential.
After reading this I just realized that school is just an extension of our home life. Children feel safe and happy at home, and they need that same feeling when they go to school. We as next gen Canidates need to learn all there is about making our classrooms a safe and fun environment for our students so they can focus on learning and being their fun selves.
Appreciate everyone’s positive comments and personal insights showing the relevance of this information for early childhood educators and students!
I agree, a base foundation for feeling comfortable and part of the classroom starts very young. So many skills take place in their younger years and overcoming fears and phobias can start then.
I really loved this lecture, communication is the key!
I was that shy student in school who always dreaded group activities (still do!). Fortunately for me, I always had teachers that were caring, and helped me through those activities without too much anxiety. Students spend so much time with us, that I feel that in their minds, we are their second parents. Being able to build their trust in us, is so detrimental to their success in school.
Making children feel welcome and part of a bigger group is so important. Working with small children I know how important this is as educators. When the child feels safe and loved they tend to participate more (even the shy children). Showing them they are part of the group (community) at a young age will help them as they grow.
When I was a student in Elementary school, I can honestly say, my teachers dictated my school year. Those years that I remember being awesome included teachers that showed me more love and compassion. Those years that I hardly remember were spent with teachers that did not make me feel welcomed in their classroom. I never thought about it like that before but it makes so much sense now.
I definitely cannot agree more! Making young children feel comfortable and welcome is an essential part of the education experience.
I really loved this article. I was a teacher aid and I had many children who did not participate in group during the first of the school year. Now reading this I understand how important it is to make each child feel welcomed and apart of the community. This is the start to help them grow. 🙂
The most crucial part of my time in school was my early years and this hits home. When we all started school for the first couple years it was very difficult to transition at times to spending half of your day with new people and missing the comfort of your home and guardians. I had teachers that were very inclusive and brought many of us out of our shells in a positive and safe way. Great read!
I sometimes think as teachers we forget that fostering the relationships between your students is just as vital as your personal relationship with your student. If the student feels connected to their peers the word and feeling of community takes on a whole new dimension.
100%
I see every day at the middle school I work at how many kids still want nothing to do with group settings and have no trust for anyone around them. I do my very best every day to help these kids feel I am a safe person and can be trusted.
I feel very thankful that I work at a school that puts its community first; the teachers work so hard every day to actively engage with the students, even students from other grades. I know every single student in my entire school by name.
I have seen many cases to where a student did not want to leave their parents. If within a week with student being with a teacher, and the crying or clinging stops then you know that the teacher that your child is with knows how to connect with their students.
I am grateful for this article. It highlights a very important situation that I think I need to address in my classroom. I one scholar who does not socialize with any of his peers but I never took the time out to find out why he doesn’t. Going forward I will address this situation.
I have worked in the early childhood setting and have implemented a community of care in the classroom it makes a huge difference.
This reading makes lots of sense. I’ve worked everyday for the past 2 years with Elementary kids. I see a lot of this everyday. Building a relationship is very important, it makes the kids feel way more comfortable. Community and teamwork are very important. It helps develop kids in a very positive way.
Valuing each student is definitely one of my priorities when it comes to teaching. In this world, we all need to feel important and acknowledged. So of course, this should be true for our students. From the moment they step into the school, they should feel safe, seen, included, and valued.
As a licensed secondary science teacher, I am teaching 8th grade this year as a break from junior and seniors. This being our 9th week of school, I think I’ll give this a try though I may get some heckling and laughs. Peer pressure and ‘clicks’ will present honest interest in being a friend. At this level, hugging a teacher is icky, so a high five or fist bump will suffice.
Working in special education, it is essential to have a community of care, not only for the students in your care but also for their families. It is important for the family as a whole to have that sense of belonging and support
I definitely like this concept and idea coming in as a new teacher. It all makes perfect sense to me.
This was a excellent read! What positive reinforcement to play this game again at the end of the year to see the changes! I will be writing this down for future use!
This concept makes so much sense to me now, being that I’m a early head start teacher child participate more in a loved and valued environment
I will have to keep this game in mind. I was very shy as a kid. I never felt comfortable in school. I want to do everything in my power to make sure everyone feels comfortable and involved.
Building that relationship and polishing it each day, helps each child shine in their own time. Teachers and classmates may be the only structured, secure “family” unit that some children know.
This is a very near and dear to my heart program. In the 3rd Grade my daughters school came up with the Casel program. this was the first ever for our school district my daughter and her friend were always labeled as the bad kids. this program gave them the tools needed to be successful in the classroom. I loved the dynamic it provided along with the loving caring community that came with it. I am now taking my knowledge in this program and run our schools’ social skills program. this has given me the drive to get my degree and become a classroom teacher and apply this knowledge to help all students.
Last year, my daughter was struggling with school. She would go to the nurse every day just to be sent home. The nurse, teacher, and principal communicated with me, and we implemented a strategy to get her to want to stay in school. She hated being away from me. She is now in 4th grade and thriving. Without the communication from all three parties, I don’t think she would be where she is today. I am very thankful.
In my opinion, all 4 of the components to creating a Caring Community of Learners to Support Social Emotional Learning are very important factors for fostering a effective classroom environment. Children want to feel safe, accepted and comfortable. As the writer stated, even if there are holdouts at the beginning of the year, continuously practicing these behaviors should ultimately lead to the children thriving socially and emotionally.
Such a wonderfully written article! As a new student this has given me so much to think about and great ideas on how I can one day implement “Community of care” in my classroom to create an environment where children can feel safe, secured, and valued. Sort of like a “home away from home”!
I found myself nodding the entire time as I read this. I remember I felt so uncomfortable at school, things were hard at home, and I struggled to make friends. I kept myself at a distance and did not try very hard at school. Finally, when I got into fourth grade, my teacher recognized I needed connection. She made a point to talk to me, and she encouraged me so much. Just this interaction with my teacher changed the way I thought of school and changed how I looked at myself. I finally believed I could succeed in school, my grades improved, and I came home happier.
I found myself nodding in agreement with the article as well. I currently work at an elementary school. My first day was the first day with so many of our students. We had a student express not knowing how to eat with others. They stated they eat alone at home. I grabbed a tray and sat with this student. We talked about our interests and how our summer went. Other students chimed in. The next day that student walked in with a smile and grabbed his tray and sat with a group. Everyone could see his confidence was boosted just by the little interacting we had with him.
This was a great read! The best way for a child to learn is in a comfortable setting. One can appreciate the emphasis placed on early childhood settings being the first social opportunity that some children have to engaged with many children. This article further goes on to ensure early childhood teachers understand their responsibility to be not only teach, but encourage the social and emotional blossoming of the most little of learners.
This was a great read! The best way for a child to learn is in a comfortable setting. One can appreciate the emphasis placed on early childhood settings being the first social opportunity that some children have to engaged with many children. This article further goes on to ensure early childhood teachers understand their responsibility to be not only teach, but encourage the social and emotional blossoming of the most little of learners.
I love this. I was a shy student, we moved around a lot and things were hard at home so I was constantly meeting new students and teachers. Some teachers were great and made me feel welcome while others just looked at me like I was just another student in their class and I was usually uncomfortable.
I loved the friend train example. As a child School was my favorite place to be as most of my life it was the safest place emotionally!
This was a helpful article. I have spent many years working with students from Pre-K to senior high school. The hardest part for me was accepting that these students have a life away from us and school that we don’t know anything about. They all have a story and a lot of it can be very challenging. So many don’t have the tools to cope and then they come to school and have to face a whole new set of pressures, and it’s not just the academics. I’ve had to learn to give the best that I can to them, when I have them; to be what I can and promote that relationship where they feel they can trust me.
I firmly believe that responsive interactions can really make so much difference. It goes into the thrid aspect “Ensure all children are valued” very well. I was a student who lost some trust in schools from bad experiences with teachers, but I was lucky to have some pretty amazing teachers who helped me out!
I like this article. I can’t imagine not facilitating these types of relationships with the children that we teach.
I really enjoyed this article. I am in a class room now and I try to practice all that was mentioned in the article. I always ask my students what are their interests we have a great para student relationship. I try to make them feel as comfortable as possible and at the same time teach them what they need to learn.
My goal everyday is to create the feeling of community this article describes. I’ve worked in elementary education for many years. Working in Pre K has intensified my awareness of the need to create a safe, nurturing environment where children feel cared for, heard, and understood. They should feel free to express themselves, form healthy relationships with peers as well as teachers, and feel capable of learning and achieving.
I currently help in Math Intervention. Everyday I strive to help any student succeed. I have made sure my classroom has a quiet spot to work individually. We also have our tables positioned so we can work together. Building relationships is the best way to ensure a student feels valued.
My eyes were opened to this when my daughter started Pre-k. Other than church, she had never really been a part of a group. The teacher told the class to line up for lunch and she had no idea what “line up” meant. Seeing the difference in her at the end of the school year was amazing! She interacted with her entire class and was full of smiles. I will never forget it.
I always want to create a safe environment where we all know it’s okay to fail and make mistakes. No one will be made fun of or ridiculed for making a mistake or getting a wrong answer. Even me, the teacher, can make mistakes! I often joke with my kids, “we didn’t have spell check back when I was your age and I was a horrible speller. Spell check was actually invented for me but I let the rest of the world use it too!” Solomon Khan, who started Khan Academy says, “Our brains grow the most when we make mistakes and can learn from them”.
I truly believe that making connection with our students is the best way for the child to learn, creating a safe and positive environment is the key.
I currently work with sped students in a high school setting and after reading this article I wish all children were able to experience the type of community learning perhaps if this was the culture throughout elementary years there would be a better community of learning in the high school setting.
I currently work with Sped students in kindergarten and I do believe creating a connection with the children can help with the Childs learning. Providing emotion support and creating a safe and comfortable environment.
This totally makes sense to me! After working with children for over 20 years, it’s always important to make sure every child felt like they comfortable to invest in the group setting. I like the idea of the “I’m looking for a friend” game. Another tool to add to my bag of tools!
I loved reading this article and is a strong reminder of how important it is for us to look at each child as an individual but also do our best to make this child feel part of a community regardless of any difference. The stronger social and emotional skill they have the better they will be in school and as human being.
I agree with what you stated. I work in an elementary school as an instructional aide. I can see the challenges some of the students go through. MY goal is to help these child feel safe and confident.
Excellent read and concise, clear advice on children and the impacts of the relationships they develop!
I agree. Working in a school environment, I can see so many challenges children face in the classroom. I can’t wait to have my own classroom to make sure all the children feel safe and connected.
I found this reading to be very helpful. I loved the game, “I am looking for a friend”. I feel it allowed the student to have the opportunity to feel accepted as well as giving them the safe space to choose if they wanted to be apart or not. The ones that chose not to be apart in the beginning, as the year progressed had the opportunity to gain that trust throughout the year and at the end of the year, they decided to join their peers in being a part of the friendship train. As an educator I am excited about building healthy relationships with the children I will teach.
I work with a teacher who tells children ¨I wish you well¨ when they are up set. She ignores them otherwise. This is a kindergarten teacher who is lacking empathy towards very small children, some of whom have never been in school all day before this year. there are such loving kids in her class, that run up to hug myself and other paras. These kids just want to feel like the adults care.
I have worked and daycare, HeadStart, and in a children’s hospital. I find if you take the time to give individual attention or ask the children about their personal likes and dislikes, they seem to be more interactive and open to listen. Children don’t like to feel judged when they are having an off day but instead shown empathy. Having an inclusive classroom and understanding mindset can help ensure a safe healthy environment in your classroom.
I have worked in a kindergarten class as a para for five school years now. One thing major thing I have learned is the children learn best when they feel safe and loved.
Relationships are so important between teachers and students. I agree that education is more than teaching a subject. One must build that relationship and form a caring community of learners.
Coming from a pre-school drop out, this hit home to me. After about 2-3 months of pre-school, and non stop crying, the pre-school asked my parents to not bring me back. I would cling to them for dear life in the morning and cry until they picked me up.
A lot of times I was told to sit in the chairs by myself until I stopped crying. But I was 5; self soothing was not in my vocabulary. I think if I had a teacher to help me out a little more, the outcome would have been different.
I appreciate the change you are bringing the classrooms and the hearts of children!
This really made me think about my own relationship with my teachers in school and with my parents. I have only been a pre-k teachers for a year. I am just starting my educational journey and this has got me thinking about what kind of teacher I want to be. I remember wanting my mom when I was dropped off at school. I did not want to let go, but once I made friends I remember being much happier.
Working as a Special Ed Para in 4k has shown me how all of the above instances effect the children when first entering the school environment. Involving the parents and other teaching staff is crucial for each child in their learning environment, as well as building a comfortable, safe environment for them. I look forward to learning more.
I found this insightful and so very true. Building relationships with students that are healthy and positive is so important.
I enjoyed reading this and I really like the idea of the “I’m looking for a friend” game. Building relationships is vital to the success of all students.
I agree and think these components are so important to have in your classroom.
Understanding that the class is a whole and not individuals. also, the teacher learns from the student as well as the student learns from the teacher. Making the classroom welcoming to each student will help each student reach their full potential by feeling safe and secure.
Love this and couldn’t agree more.
I appreciate the perspective of this article. Because I come from such a large family and tight-knit community, I hadn’t really thought about children who experience these larger groups for the first time in school. Great perspective. Thank you!
I agree with this and can relate. I would consider myself one of the kids who was shy and had a hard time separating from my mother, and or did not want to go into class. My teacher was not the best at consoling me or making me feel welcomed, I just had to tough it out which made for a long day. I still have a a hard time going into new settings and am a little stand-offish, I don’t like speaking in crowds or being in large groups, but I do feel like this could have been avoided if I had the right caring teacher as a young boy.
Acknowledging students and making them feel apart of a community is essential to their social emotional learning. Everyone from every walk of life wants to know that they are wanted and seen. This allows them participate and learn without fear.
I truly enjoyed reading your post. As I was reading, I immediately thought of different situations I have encountered with children in my past and present. I must say this was enlightening to read. I love creating relationships with kids. I feel they need it more than we know. It allows you to get to know them as a whole. I agree with this to the fullest.
yes its true ,if teachers engage students early in life they will most likely depend on the learning environment for the rest of there life
I totally agree with you we as teachers should make the child feel comfortable for them to feel safe and happy that way parents could be worry free about their child and you build a strong relationship with the parents and the child.
I too have observed teachers who did not demonstrate warm, caring, and responsive interactions with children who came to school with no coat. It seemed as though the teacher had no compassion when sending these kids out to play without a proper coat.
I think educators can get cauloused just like everyone else. I see very established teachers come off cold on a regular basis, especially as SEL has moved to the front of our culture. As a librarian I see how these classrooms suffer, and these teachers struggle to maintain order.
I very much enjoyed reading this excerpt, I have always seen and been in a good classroom setting where there was warmth, brightness, and that sense of safety for the children. However, I have heard retired teachers talk and some seemed bitter other missed the classroom setting. This opened my eyes that there are such situations out there. As a teacher you don’t do it for the money, you do it for the love of the children, watching them grow both physically and mentally. It’s such a joy. You tend to love them like your own children!
Feeling valued and safe makes all the difference in the world to everyone and especially children! This article brought me back to when I was in elementary school many years ago. I only remember one of my teachers’ names from K-8th grade and it was because of this very reason. She was a true nurturer! She made learning and we were all like family.
A caring community of learners is what I strive to create in the classroom. I want every child to feel valued, important, and heard. I want students to feel safe and know they belong. This not only builds relationships with others but self-confidence within themselves. I believe a confident student, that feels supported, is a successful student.
This is a fantastic way to look at a growing and developing classroom. I agree that every student should be acknowledged and made to feel safe in the environment where they will learn and make new friendships along with core memories.
I will always strive to create the classsroom that the children will want to come hangout at lunch. Thats the environment that i got when i was in school that made me the most able to learn. When i was moct comfortable, it didnt matter what i was wearing, how big or small i was, i felt accepted and it enabled me to focus on the subject that i loved and excel at it.
My first week as a para educator, I was so blown away that every teacher at our school knows every kid by name, I made it my personal mission to do the same as soon as I could. I constantly have children saying, “How do you know my name?” But by the next day, they smile and wave every time they walk by. It makes such a difference to make children feel seen and welcomed.
This is great, my only question is how would “no” make the other child feel? Rejected? How does this impact this child?
I love that this is being integrated into our schools and classrooms. When I was a child, I watched Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. I believe he was trying to teach this same concept of community even back then.
I really enjoyed and got alot out of this article. I currently work with Head Start and Early Head Start there ages are 2-3 years of age and 3-4 years of age. This would be a Great Idea to do with both of these age groups and I will be trying it now and in my future teaching.
It is so important to have a sense of community in school, especially in recent years. I see everyone involved in the school I work at trying to create a sense of a caring community. I like the example with the song, and how over the coarse of the year all the students eventually feel safe to join in the song.
The foundation for our students is truly building those relationships in the classroom! Thank you! I love the train idea and may use that in the future.
I absolutely loved this. I felt this to the core. I could not only imagine myself in the scenarios of each point but could picture some of my students who could benefit as well.
When I was in kindergarten, I was one of those students who didn’t know how to react to a big group. I did not attend pre-school, and so many of my classmates did. My teacher did not acknowledge this. To this day, I still hate big groups of people and it is one of the reasons why I ended up choosing online college. I have so much confidence in this, knowing that I will be able to relate to these students myself. I loved this.
Being in a community of care is truly where it starts. A child being heard and feeling valued is the most important thing!
Studying to be an educator, and this was an article assigned to me. I genuinely agree that community is very important, and I wish that was something I had when I was younger and in school.
I enjoyed the train game idea and I thought it was interesting that everyone joined in the end.
This really hits home coming from a Special Education background, feeling included is a key to wanting to learn and keep at it.
I agree with this, building relationships opens up learning from the children because they feel safe and loved.
I agree with this! As a current Para, this actually explains some of the behavior I have witnessed both from the students and some of the teachers I work with. Looking back after reading this, I can actually reflect on some of the differences, good and bad, I have seen in some of the classrooms I have worked in. There are some teachers who could work on opening up and provide a stronger community for their students. This would probably help with classroom management as well, I am assuming, because the student would feel more accepted within their classroom community.
I remember when I was in kindergarten I had a hard time separating with my mom. She would walk me as far as she could and a teacher’s assistant would come and pick me up. It took a while but I started to trust her and things got easier. It is so important for students to feel comfortable and safe. Teacher’s are on students’ side.
This article is perfect. I work with deaf children in a classroom and interaction is extremely important.
Also, communication between our children and the other children is play a big part.
I completely agree! I think that just about all students start off with a little anxiety about new people and places. The game is a wonderful game to play to get students to engage, be open and welcoming, and to get over any anxieties that they have.
I completely agree with this. The game is an excellent idea to get students to play and help make friends. It also makes students feel welcome and more comfortable, which will help ease their anxiety and fear of feeling rejected by another student not wanting to be their friend.
The statement “Having a sense of community means seeing oneslf as belonging.” resonated with me. We all want to feel included and apart of something.
This is a commendable initiative that is beneficial for lower grades and students across all levels. I am inclined to introduce this method so that English language students can foster a sense of comfort and inclusion within the group, thereby mitigating their anxiety.
I am a walk-to-read teacher. I really agree! I have 15 school days per cycle in Walk to Read and 7 Cycles a year. it’s not much time to try to help my classes feel they are important. It is important that my classes feel cared for and safe!!
Definitely close to home. I was a timid child with no confidence to even begin making friends and my teachers had very little interest in these concepts.
Thank you for sharing your reflections on teaching pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, particularly your experiences with group activities and the importance of community building in the classroom. Your insights highlight several key aspects of early childhood education, especially regarding social and emotional learning (SEL).
Creating a caring community of learners in early childhood education is essential for fostering strong relationships and ensuring that all children feel valued and included.
Hi, thank you for your topic of community. I agree with you that it is important to have students engage in groups to practice what a community is all about. I am a Para Educator for students with special needs K-5. Sometimes, they feel outcast because they have to leave their GEN ED class for periods of the day and come into our Intense Academic classroom. I remind them how great it is to have two classrooms of community. Reminding them how important they are to us.
I agree with everything you said students need the relationship with the teacher and the teacher to students and getting the students’ parents involved
I agree with what you said it is very important to make sure the students feel welcomed and comfortable in the classroom even if it takes a little bit longer to understand them and get them to be able to open up.
This information was very refreshing and the aspect of it is a source of restoration to the classroom and the community as a whole. This should definitely be a standard in all schools and the practice of including the parents should not be a daunting task but an invitation to help the students thrive.
I completely agree with this. I am an assistant teacher in a head start classroom and I see this daily. I never knew why some of the kids would cry and be distant. I honestly just thought they didn’t want to be away from their parents and while I’m sure that’s true, I now have a better understanding of how to help them. I also love the friend song. I am going to try that starting tomorrow morning.
This is a very insightful article regarding how educators can look at children’s social and emotional needs because we feel the stress of grades/tests that we need to be reminded that children thrive in a healthy, engageable, and safe environment. We often need to remember to start at those basic steps to achieve success. Community is key to any success.
I love the part about making the children feel welcome. Everyday when I walk into my school I make a point to smile and say good morning to each and every student I pass, even though some of them do not seem to want the interaction. Over time, those children start to warm up to me and make a point to say hi to me when they see me.
That is such a great practice to help students feel comfortable and welcome in their learning environment! I’m sure you have brightened many days with your warm greetings. – Maureen
Loved reading the article. What a fun game! I think I will introduce this with some of my students. As a para educator in the Title I program I’ve come to realize how important it is to connect with our students on a daily basis.
One opportunity I take advantage of is meeting and greeting students as they enter the school building. I welcome them by name and try to offer a positive comment while observing the student as the arrive.
I feel this helps to interact with our more troubled students and increase in awareness of a students social and emotional needs.
To me it’s a way to assess how the day might evolve with various students and what might help prevent an emotionally draining day for a troubled student.
Thanks for leaving a comment and we are so glad you found the article helpful. It sounds like you are already doing a lot to help students feel welcome and seen! Keep up the great work and have a great school year! – Maureen
After reading this, I feel that a school such as mine, which has stacked all the social and emotional kids into one room, has created a 5th-grade storm that may never connect. The information does really help set a focus for communication, though. Thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. We are so happy that you found the article helpful. Please feel free to share it with others at your school if you feel they would also benefit from the information. – Maureen
As a high school women’s volleyball coach, a sense of community is critical to the success of our team. The coaching staff and I work tirelessly to promote an environment that strengthens relationships, grows one’s knowledge and understanding of each other. Working together and this closely together promotes a sense of community that communicates to student athletes that their value goes beyond what they’re able to accomplish on the court, but that they are valued and cared for as individuals. Because of these efforts my student athletes definitely feel a sense of belonging and comfort.
It is inspiring to hear you speak of your community building with your team! Keep up the great work!! – Maureen
After I read the article, I thought the game was great, and it is a good activity for a class; I took notes to introduce it to a classroom of small children. Thank you
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. We are so happy that the game inspired you and hope you will stop back and let us know how it went! – Maureen
I totally agree with the information. Making your students feel welcome and comfortable in your classroom is crucial. This is the start of building a relationship with your students.
Thank you for sharing your experiences in the classroom and the knowledge you have acquired over the years. I completely agree with what you wrote because children thrive when they feel loved and accepted in the classroom.
I agree 100%. Children need the affirmation that they belong, and it does come with time. Thank you for sharing!
This is an inspirational course that makes sure adults understand the importance of caring for children. I really like the friendship train activity. Building relationships is key to students’ academic success.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences! – Maureen