Sometimes education can be turbulent. There are periods in every educator’s journey where chaos and disruption threaten to derail even your best-laid plans.
The positive classroom community that you worked so hard to establish can easily unravel during these times making it harder to get done what needs to be done.
In an inquiry classroom, a positive classroom community is the foundation. A teacher must rely on this create a space of respect and trust, before being able to implement inquiry-based teaching strategies. Without this classroom culture, students are unable to take risks, become autonomous, or foster independent work skills.
Taking care of our own and our student’s emotional needs during these times is just as important as imparting knowledge and covering the curriculum. We can’t do the hard stuff of learning if we are not ready to learn.
In this video, we look at four areas to focus on during these turbulent times to maintain a positive classroom community.
1) Focusing on the relationships we have with our students
2) Reinforcing and rehearsing class rules and routines
3) Validating concerns or keeping it positive.
4) What we do outside of academics matters.
How are you keeping up your classroom community and culture these days?
For more episodes check out Patti on Youtube or read more amazing ideas on her blog!
