Beginning to build a strong classroom community from the start of the school year is a good way to prevent managerial problems from occurring in the future.

My mentor teacher has demonstrated this idea in more than one way. Jen began building our classroom community from the first day of school through personal greetings in the morning meeting, and has continued this procedure every morning. She also uses a strategy called “rock buddies” to help students get to know each other and help each other. For this activity, each student decorates a small rock with his/her name on it, and then exchanges it with another student or teacher in the classroom. Rock buddies must look out for each other, talk to each other, make cards for each other, or do something special for each other. By the end of the school year, each student will be paired with every other student in the class. Jen also uses another tactic of choosing a “Student of the Week” to boost self-esteem and celebrate each child individually.

Another significant way that Jen worked to create a good community in the classroom was to have all of the students sign a poster that lists the single rule for her class. The poster states, “We will not hurt others on the inside or outside.” Jen explained to me that she uses this as a reference when conflict arises among the students because they all signed it in agreement at the beginning of the year. So far, our first grade class has had some minor behavioral issues, but I believe Jen has succeeded in setting expectations for the students by creating a comfortable and strong classroom community.