Creating a Vibrant Classroom Culture

As we return to our classrooms, there is energy, enthusiasm, and excitement in both teachers and students. It is not by accident that some classrooms seem to come together almost immediately - with students who are ready to learn and following the teacher's expectations from the first day of school. These classrooms, and these teachers, are not magical and they do not simply have better behaved students. On the contrary, these classrooms are purposefully built on clear expectations, practiced routines, and explicit procedures.


The time and effort that it takes to purposefully build a classroom community that will succeed in both academic and social emotional learning is well worth it. It is an investment early on that will result in increased self-management on the part of the students and more effective teaching for the teacher.

Here are some tips to creating a strong classroom culture with clear expectations:

• Know your students. Greet them at the door. Provide opportunities for them to share and develop trust with you and with one another. Morning Meeting can be a great tool for this.
• Start as you intend to go on. Build your classroom culture based on the picture that you see of how your classroom will function in May. Plan backwards to break apart skills that will be necessary to teach explicitly at the beginning.
• Maintain high expectations. Provide opportunities to rehearse skills and practice procedures. When students require additional practice in order to meet your expectations - stop, provide supportive feedback, and encouragement when they make improvements.
• Explicitly teach routines and procedures that will support the culture of learning in your classroom. How do you expect students to sharpen pencils? To get just right for me books? To get materials out of their cubbies? If you do not teach it, students cannot master it. 
• Celebrate achievement. Take every opportunity to celebrate early wins and daily accomplishments. You will get much mileage out of positively reinforcing both individual students and classroom behaviors and academic accomplishments.

Welcome Back!

Back to school. It's an exciting time - and sometimes filled with some anxiety or trepidation. As we begin year two of turnaround - and year one of Receivership - I am filled with a combination of intense pride and apprehension about this upcoming school year.

My intense pride really focuses on my staff. I have shared before that my staff is absolutely amazing. As I look at them, talk with them, and listen to them - I am inspired by the level of commitment and the sheer skill they bring to the table. And this work isn't easy - there is so little reward for the amount of investment. My staff is working tirelessly and we are still seeing single digit student performance. Although we know that there are things we must adjust instructionally, it is not because they are not effective and amazing teachers. During these opening days with staff, my teacher leaders have led presentations and discussions on morning meetings, closing circles, restorative conferences and circles, ready to learn, and best practices about student de-escalation (we use something called a "Peace Place"). I have been filled with pride as I have watched our teacher leaders teach about the` best practices that we know will turn our school around. I have laughed, I have been moved, I have been inspired by the power that my teachers possess. I think about how amazing they will be when they have ten, fifteen, or twenty years of experience in making a difference - and I am overcome by the power and impact that they will have.

I hope that you have a wonderful back to school season and you see the power and potential that your team possesses in everything you do as a leader!

Here are pictures of teacher leaders modeling morning meeting, restorative circles, ready to learn, closing circles, and the Peace Place during our opening days with staff. I am one proud leader!