Building a Positive Environment in the Classroom

There are many strategies teachers can use to build classroom community and make it a positive classroom experience for their students. In the book Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlison she offers many great strategies.

• Study Students' Cultures - Know their background, where students are coming from, and value the uniqueness they bring to the classroom.
• Convey Status - Point out great things you see the students doing.
• Commend Creativity - By allowing the teacher, students, and who class to add creative touches to the classroom it shows there are many kinds of people who make up the classroom and contribute to it. 
• Make Room for all Kinds of Learners - Learn your students learning styles. Understand whether they learn better when it is loud or quiet. Allow them to feel that there is a place for them to learn, regardless of how they learn.
• Help Students Know About One Another - In order to create positivity and community in the classroom students need to feel comfortable with one another. Help them get to know each other.
• Celebrate Success - Make a big deal out of student success. Help them to realize their great ackomplishments. You could do a student spot light, call the parents, or just simple verbal praise. 

I love these strategies! I think the idea of commending creativity is brilliant. I am a very neat and organized person so I like things to be in their place. But I love the idea of waiting and letting your students help decorate some of the classroom. By adding their creative touch it will build unity and help students feel like they belong. I truly think it will help the classroom feel like their "home away from home". The other strategy I really liked was helping students know about one another. This reminds me of morning meetings. Morning meetings are a great way for students to share and get to know things about each other. You could also use Sylvia's idea of making connections for the students. "You like dogs too, that is great! You guys should talk about your common interest on the playground."

I think the biggest thing to take away from this reading chapter is that it is important for students to feel safe and like they belong in the classroom. I think having a sense of community in the classroom with help the students feel success and help the teacher have success. 

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