You may want to view my original thoughts and plan on my blog here before you proceed to read this update on how I've tried to make opportunitites for students to meet their needs for belonging.
Also keep in mind the following:
REFLECTING ON THE CHANGES I HAVE MADE FOR THIS YEAR:
The classroom constitution that we created this year instead of creating just a list of rules has been a good tool. I have not referred to it all the time though. I should be using it more to highlight the good and bad behaviors that I see within the classroom. We have changed constitutions as well, and I have taken away rules that classes have made based on behavior. It has been interesting how students want to talk about changes to the plans.
As noted in the previous post, the brag board has changed into a much more creative space, instead of a space to celebrate success. Instead, one class chose to celebrate birthdays as part of their class rules.
Celebrating birthdays has been fun and has brought joy to the students world. The class I did this with are much better behaved and have a connection to each other that some of my other classes have not achieved.
Celebrating birthdays has been fun and has brought joy to the students world. The class I did this with are much better behaved and have a connection to each other that some of my other classes have not achieved.
SO WHAT'S THE NEW PLAN?
Erwin says that the constitution process allows students to create a shared vision of the classroom that they would like to be a part of (2004). This helps students meet their needs of power and gives them a sense of responsibility about the classroom environment. "Posting class rules makes classroom management a democratic and shared contract between student and teacher" (Chan & Whitson, 2002). The action steps I need to take are to keep the process alive by frequently referring to each classes constitution. Erwin suggests when class has gone well to stop and ask what are we doing well and how is it working for us. "It is important to refer to it not only when there are problems, or all references to the constitution will likely be perceived in a negative way" (Erwin, 2004). It should really be seen in positive and negative times so that students see the document as an agreement on what the vision of the perfect classroom is.