63. Building a Positive Classroom Culture

Brittany 0:00

Hey, Ellie, did you ever get to a point with your class where you knew things had to change, where you knew the discipline and reward system wasn't working, or the seating chart was a disaster?

Ellie 0:33

Oh yes, there were definitely times like that.

Brittany 0:38

Today on The Teaching Toolbox Podcast, my friend Ellie,

Ellie 0:42

hello

Brittany 0:43

and I will discuss building a positive classroom culture midway through the year, when you know the old system just isn't working anymore and you have to start anew. So let's grab some proverbial hammers and start handling this age old problem.

Ellie 1:01

Why should we work on resetting and building a positive classroom culture in the middle of the year? If we did it at the beginning of the year, shouldn't things be fine at mid year? You might think so. But how often do you find you need to reset and revisit habits, behaviors and goals in your personal life? The same applies to the classroom, because we're talking about the habits and behaviors of 20 or 30 people, hopefully not more than that, but you never know. And not just existing individually, but existing individually and coexisting together. And so although you might want to think about resets on a more frequent basis, Mid Year, at least, can be a critical time and a perfect time to address unwanted behavior or academic issues that may have emerged over the past couple months. When you take the time to reset, you can review your original expectations to help correct any negative patterns that may have developed, but also introduce new strategies. Reviewing expectations can involve revisiting rules, norms, and procedures to ensure everyone is on the same page. Taking time to do this can rejuvenate students commitment to their work and to respectful productive behavior. The goal is to end up with a harmonious and efficient learning environment, which we all want.

Brittany 2:23

Definitely. A second reason to do a reset is to continue building and maintaining strong relationships with students. Over the first half of the year, your relationships may have become strained due to misunderstandings. You may have had conflicts or just the natural ebb and flow of classroom dynamics. Taking the time to reset in the middle of the year allows you to repair and strengthen those relationships. Reinforcing these connections can boost students sense of belonging and motivation, leading to a more cohesive and supportive classroom environment.

Brittany 3:00

And a third reason to do a reset is to adapt to some of the challenges or changes that have occurred in the school year. Sometimes things change so quickly, and those changes impact the classroom environment. And these changes could be anything from a new curriculum demand, to changes in students needs, to external factors affecting the school community. But sometimes in the midst of those changes, there's not a lot of time for discussion or explanation or time to share strategies for how to adjust to those changes. So by reassessing and realigning classroom practices and cultures, teachers can be sure they're meeting the students' current needs effectively. Taking time to address these issues can help mitigate stress and maintain a positive and resilient classroom atmosphere.

Ellie 3:54

So we know there's not a lot of time during the school day or week to just stop and say, Okay, I'm going to stop everything and do this. We know how easily our plans for covering curriculum and staying on schedule can get thrown out of whack. I mean, I was typically behind anyway, but stopping for one class period to do a reset can actually help keep things on track, because the reset can help make the days and weeks run more smoothly and be more productive in the future, and maybe kind of help catch you up a little bit, because you're not dealing with some of those everyday issues that have started to crop up.

Ellie 4:33

What are some quick ways that we can do this kind of a reset? You can hold a class meeting to revisit and revise classroom rules and expectations. If needed, you can discuss whether the rules are working, why the rules are important, and how they contribute to a positive learning environment. Students might look differently at the rules now that they've been in your classroom for four or five months, whatever it happens to be, than they did in the first couple weeks of school. Getting students' honest feedback about the current classroom culture can help guide any changes you decide to make. And allowing them to offer feedback helps ensure they feel some ownership over the guidelines. The collaborative approach encourages accountability and mutual respect.

Ellie 5:17

Some ideas for relationship building could be team building activities that promote collaboration, trust, and communication among students. These exercises can be a way for students to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses and foster cooperation. These could be group problem solving tasks, and they don't have to be something like a separate class period as something totally different from your curriculum, but they could be tasks you start to incorporate into whatever you're currently doing in your curriculum. Relationship building could also include discussions about classroom goals and one-on-one check ins with students. You can take time to recognize and celebrate both academic and behavioral achievements regularly, create a reward system or a student of the week program, if you don't already have one, to highlight positive actions and accomplishments. This can motivate students to maintain high standards and contribute positively to the classroom culture throughout the rest of the year.

Brittany 6:15

You can also implement mindfulness and reflection practices. By doing mindfulness exercises such as deep breathing, short meditation sessions, it helps students manage stress and improve focus. Additionally encourage students to reflect on their behavior and learning through journaling or group discussions. Reflection helps students become more aware of their actions and their impact on others, promoting a more thoughtful and considerate class atmosphere.

Brittany 6:49

And then you can revamp the physical classroom environment. Sometimes a change in the physical environment can have a substantial impact. Rearrange seating to facilitate better interaction. Create a cozy reading corner or add student artwork to the walls. A refreshed classroom setup can make the space feel more inviting and can symbolize a new beginning.

Speaker 1 7:13

I loved rearranging my classroom. I liked to do it a lot.

Brittany 7:18

I always did it at holiday break because I found that things needed to change.

Ellie 7:23

Absolutely. Well, whether it's adding a fresh look to the classroom, spending more time bonding as a class, refreshing the classroom rules, or re-running a classroom tour, take the time you need to re establish yourself and the students norms. Take the time you need to review the procedures, objectives, expectations, and consequences, you will thank yourself come April.

Brittany 7:47

If you enjoyed this podcast and it gave you tools for your teaching toolbox and a reset in your classroom, please share it on your favorite social media channel. Don't forget to tag us so we can share in the fun. We'll talk with you soon.

Ellie 8:02

Bye.