8 Ways to Build Strong Classroom Community

The first weeks of school are the best time to build the foundation for a strong classroom community. Try these activities in your classroom to make students feel like they belong!

1. Display student photos to build classroom community

Display student photos around the classroom! I like to take photos of my students posing with their arms out as if they are showing off something. Then I remove the background and print the photos. I cut them out and then place them in areas around the classroom that I want to highlight!

During the day I’ll say the student’s name when I point out that area of the room. For example, I might say ‘turn in your paper when you’re done to Emily’s Turn in Bin,’ if a student named Emily had her photo by the bin. 

The students get so excited to see their pictures around the room! At the end of the year, I’ll give them their photos to take home with them.

2. Give students classroom jobs or leadership roles

This is likely something you’re planning to do anyway! Jobs and roles in the classroom promote a sense of ownership over the space. This builds classroom community because students are working together to help the classroom run smoothly. This builds trust among them and promotes the view that the class is a family.

3. Read the book All Are Welcome & display banners to build classroom community

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold is a must-read book during the first week of school. It’s vital that you create a safe space for your students and begin to build classroom community. This read aloud activity shows students that they are welcome in your classroom!

After we read the book, I like to discuss ways that we can make each other welcome in our classroom. When students feel valued, they will treat others with respect. After we read the book, we’ll make our banners! I’ll take photos of each child and print them out to put on their banner. Each child will write their name on their banner and then write how they can make their classmates feel welcome on the small writing page.

I’ll take photos of each child and print them out to put on their banner. Each child will write their name on their banner and then write how they can make their classmates feel welcome on the small writing page.

Want to grab this activity? Click here!

4. Promote classroom community with the house system

I used the house system for the first time last year and my students love it! Students work together in their houses to earn points, rewards, etc. I used this house system from Hello Mrs. Harwick and it was super easy to use!

We did a big sorting presentation where each student was ‘sorted’ into a house. You can read more about how to use the house system on Haylee’s blog. My students loved working together in their houses and we did a lot of celebrating each other. Talk about a fun way to build classroom community!

5. Greet each student every morning

One fantastic way to build classroom community is by doing a morning greeting! I love these morning greeting tags from The Core Coaches! If I had a substitute, I would choose a student that would be the morning greeter. You could even pick a different student each day.

This is another simple thing to add to your routine that has a big impact on your students!

6. Allow students to request a selfie

My ‘Request a Selfie’ station is something that I added to my classroom last year. When my students are particularly proud of their work, they can grab a selfie clip and clip it to their paper before they turn it in. This means that they would like me to take a ‘selfie’ of their work and send it to their parents. 

When students see that not only are you proud of them, but you also want them to be proud of themselves, they will gain self-confidence. This is a fun way to build classroom community and communicate with parents in a positive way.

7. Conduct a morning meeting

Morning meetings are one of my classroom staples! They are the perfect environment to teach SEL lessons, discuss any conflicts between students, and allow students to feel heard.

The rest of our morning meeting consists of answering our question of the day, going over our schedule, and discussing any questions that the class has. Creating an environment of open dialogue help students feel respected and valued. This is a super easy way to build classroom community!

8. Read the book The Circles Around Us

The Circles All Around Us by Brad Montague (creator of Kid President) is a book about connection. When we’re born, our circle is very small. As we grow and build relationships, our circle grows with us to include family, friends, and members of our community. I love using this book to show students that our class family is a part of each child’s circle. We can include others in our circle, even if it seems scary. 

I created a companion activity to go along with the book…the Circles Around Me activity! 

Use this activity to identify who belongs in your circle. These circles are a great representation of the connections we all have amongst each other.

I hope these ideas are helpful in building your class community during the first weeks of school!