Back to School- Creating a Culture of Belonging

Setting the classroom climate at the beginning of the year is a key component to a successful year. I think that students will buy in to whatever behavior system, rules, and culture that you present to them if they feel that they BELONG.

Students are sometimes a bit nervous and worried to start school, especially in the first grade. They may not know the other students and they have to leave the safety of their family on this new adventure. They aren't sure if they will make friends, like their teacher or enjoy class. If as a teacher we can help them to feel that they belong with their school family, then everything else seems to settle into place. How can we do this?

FAMILY CONNECTION
The first place we feel that we belong is with our family. I think it is so important to include their family in the first days of school so they can transfer that feeling of belonging from home to school. I bring in pictures of my family and encourage my students to do the same.

After sharing pictures of our family and why they are special, many students like to keep them in their agenda, desk or backpack to look at throughout the day. It gives them comfort and makes them feel more able to take on whatever the day might bring.

LEADERSHIP

The next step in belonging to a group is that students feel like they are a contributing member of the group; that they have an important role to play in the classroom. I know that many teachers have a large job chart for each student, but I keep it simple. I put my students into groups of five and each student in that group has a special job to do for the week. We switch cards each week. Through these jobs students take ownership of their supplies, materials, classroom and behavior.

FRIENDSHIP

I find this area challenging to help students without seeming forced. I encourage partner work in the classroom, so we pair up by matching hands, feet or elbows and meet a new friend in the process! I love to do celebrity of the week, which celebrates each student in the class every week. We do warm fuzzies (sit in a circle and say one nice thing about each student) as well as Friendship lunches (sit with a new friend at lunchtime). Teachers can't make friendships happen but then can help students to manage relationships by creating a classroom of caring.

LEARNING

This theme of belonging also continues into our academic work. In Social Studies we talk about belonging to our family, school and community and different groups that we belong to. I like to reinforce these concepts through stories, discussions and hands on activities like this one. Click on the picture to use this activity in your classroom!

 How do you influence the climate of your classroom? What does belonging mean to you and your students?
Mrs. Dunn

Using songs for transitions in the classroom

I love to sing in the classroom... I don't know if my students love it because I'm not the best singer, but it is one of my favourite parts of teaching first grade. I find myself using songs for everything; moving from one place to the next, remembering all the things we need to bring/pack, academic ideas that need to be remembered and simply just for fun!
Why sing?

I find that students will sing along and the chatter will often lessen or stop. What we are singing often gives directions for what to do next, so I think it helps students to be verbally expressing the instructions while doing them. I always get compliments on how well my students walk in the hall, and the little song we sing before walking in the hall seems to help a lot!
Sometimes I sing the same song repetitively so that students can know it by heart and say it along with me, and other times I make a song up on the spot to teach them something new.
There are a few songs I didn't want to forget and use on a regular basis, so I made posters for my classroom. They come in all different colours to match your classroom theme. How do you use music and songs in the classroom?

Mrs. Dunn

Pinterest inspired!

I have recently made a few pinterest inspired things for the classroom and I thought I would share my spin on them.

Focus Sticks

You can find the link here. I love this idea, so I changed the format, printed on labels and made different versions. Here is what mine look like:

Student name call sticks

I got this idea from Kindertastic, so cute!

I got my paint sticks from a very nice lady at Benjamin Moore. I went in and said " I was wondering if you had any paint sticks."

She replied "Oh yes, here" and gave me two.

CHEEKS RED... um can I have about 25?

OOOO KKK..

Indeed the things we do as teachers.

Anyways, the students names are on one colour and when they have been picked I flip it over. The jar says, Children are painted in the image of God.

AND my yoga on a stick resource that I created. I have now fallen in love with gluing things to coloured popsicle sticks. Who woulda thought? It all started with Cara Carroll and her awesome reading strategy cards. Again, you can get these yoga cards on my Teachers Pay Teachers site.

Have fun pinteresting!!

Mrs. Dunn

Colour Mixing Butterflies

We did an awesome colour mixing activity today, here is how it turned out! The students coloured in the background and while they were colouring I pulled groups to paint the butterflies.

 We put a dab of two colours of paint, one on each wing, folded it together and then rubbed, When you open it the colours have mixed. 
Here are all of the butterflies drying. Aren't they beautiful!!

You can purchase the activity, as well as the SMART board lesson that goes with it, on my Teachers Pay Teachers site.

Mrs. Dunn

Shaving Cream...

We had printing centers again today and of course the shaving cream station is always a big hit. Today, along with writing the letter d, one of my students decided that it was an excellent time to also draw a picture in the shaving cream. When I came over to check and let them know it was time to clean up, he proudly stated, "I have made the body of Christ". 

I did a double take, WHAT, I asked again and he repeated "It's the body of Christ". I told him that it looked quite lovely and sent him off to wash his hands.

Oh how shaving cream inspires creativity!!!

Mrs. Dunn

Birthday Link Up

I am linking up with Erica Bohrer on the Blog Hoppin website for this Birthday Post. I actually got the idea to use pictures from her so THANKS Erica!

Basically we have a birthday song during calendar time, and the students make a little booklet about what they wish for the students birthday. They then get to take a balloon and their birthday booklet home with them.

Mrs. Dunn

Linking to Rowdy in Room 300

Ok so maybe I can't sleep... and maybe I'm creeping on blogs...

I have to tell you about some great finds. Stop over at Rowdy in room 300 for some wicked fonts. I may be slightly font obsessed and these are ridiculously cute and free. Also she is doing a laminator give away. Ok so in teaching world that is pretty much a life necessity, so check it out!

Mrs. Dunn