Building community in the classroom

Thoughts and Ideas

Think about the balance between regaining a sense of pupil academic progress and ensuring that we are adapting our teaching to the nature of the return to school. Awareness of pupils’ feelings: notice body language, ask them proactively how they are (e.g. In English, Emma often asks her pupils to write her a letter). Use polls or Teams Forms to check in with pupils –“How are you finding this?”. In the lower years, break up the girls' days by starting lessons with ice breakers so that they begin to relax a little on their return to the classroom setting. Getting classes to create their own rules for the classroom to have a sense of ownership over them. Have the discussion with classes –“How can I know you're on board?” Model vulnerability ourselves. Humour! Ask students directly how they are feeling. Facilitate group work - use Channels in Teams; talk to each other (neighbours) and verbally interact with teacher with excellent questioning that isn’t just students giving sound bite responses. Small group chat in Teams which teacher joins. Notebook marking more interactive with or without voice memo feedback. Wearing a visor rather than a mask. Ability to have conversations in person rather than remotely. Group work using collaboration space, Miro, Microsoft Whiteboard.

Tools (including from Guided Home Learning)

Padlet - treat like a pinboard for class ideas. Microsoft forms - using traffic lights for students to let them know how they are feeling. Quick anonymous polls in Teams conversation space (@forms) to gauge whole class feeling. Group work: use Channels in Teams; MS whiteboard and Onenote collaboration space (more anonymous?); Miro has name attached to each pupil's response so can be helpful for teacher. Audio record in OneNote as a proxy for conversation. Allows personalised and private conversation. Retaining the use of Teams channels for girls to ask teachers questions that they might not want to ask in front of the whole class as they slowly start to build confidence moving back into the classroom. Collaborate with others online then feedback verbally in smaller groups