Building a Classroom Community with Tech Digital Tools
By Kerri Lambert, Academic Specialist, Instructional Technology
It’s no secret that relationships are key in the education world; whether it's colleague to colleague, student to teacher, or teacher to families, building a strong community is critical to the success of students. In fact, the AACPS Strategic Plan specifically calls out the sense of belonging as one of the 6 core beliefs, stating:
Even the Maryland Digital Learning Standards emphasize the importance of collaboration with standard number 7, Global Communicator:
For example, posting a question of the day on a dry erase board for students to respond to is a strategy many teachers already utilize to build classroom community. Why not take this practice digital, and have students respond on a self-paced Nearpod Collaborate Board or in a team Wixie project? This allows students who may not have time during class to participate if they desire; it also gives them a purpose for logging onto a device in preparation for the day’s main lesson. Additionally, students are not limited to responding with words or hand-drawn pictures; both applications allow students to leverage images, audio tools, and even video to respond to the question making it more accessible and aligned to UDL. Not sure where to start? Nearpod has pre-created boards and Wixie has multiple templates such as the Video Response Grid or Post Your Thoughts to help get you started.
If access to devices is a problem, leverage the interactivity of your classroom SMARTBoard. For example, set up a Class Survey question in Wixie. As students enter the room, they can respond by dragging the appropriate square to show their response. Even setting up a blank Lumio slide where students can write on the board gives students the opportunity to utilize accessibility functionality such as text to speech, as well as search for images or stickers that relate to the topic. In either scenario, new slides/pages can be added as desired, creating a class book of thoughts that can be revisited throughout the year, which reinforces to students that their ideas are valued and that their voices matter.
Speaking of giving students a voice, establishing shared class goals is a good way to build community. By taking just 5 minutes each Friday to establish the class goals for the week we can help set the tone and make sure that everyone is on the same page for what needs to be worked on. The completed goals template can be shared via the LMS or posted in the physical classroom. If created with one of Adobe Express’ many templates, the goals can be easily translated into multiple languages if needed. The completed goals can also be shared with the student’s families, further extending the classroom community beyond the school.
As you work to build a strong class team, there are times where more direct instruction may be needed to address specific situations that arise. In these instances, Discovery Education and Nearpod have lessons and choice board activities that lend themselves to short, impactful discussions. Discovery’s Creating Classroom Culture Studio Boards (K-2, 3-5) can be assigned to students to complete, but also work incredibly well in whole group situations displayed on the SMARTBoard. Similarly, Nearpod’s Building Class Community (K-2, 3-5) and Building School Culture (6-12) resources can be done whole-group or in self-paced mode. For our youngest learners, Discovery Education has partnered with Sesame Learning to bring teachers and students the “Coming Together” channel which focuses on helping children develop a sense of belonging. These research based resources consist of videos partnered with interactive play-based activities, bringing digital together with traditional teaching methods.
Not only is establishing a positive whole class dynamic important, but so is building students’ capacity to work effectively in small groups. Incorporating robot coding challenges into daily or weekly routines is a great way to work on soft skills like communication, listening, and problem solving. It’s amazing how putting a robot out for students to play with can break down barriers and engage students instantly! All AACPS schools have Sphero robots available for check out through their library media center. Sphero indi, found at all elementary schools, comes with 15 physical challenge cards in each student kit making it easy to get started. At the middle school and high school level, Sphero Bolt and Sphero RVRs can be found; Bolt Challenge Cards and RVR lessons can be found on Sphero Central providing secondary teachers with starting resources.
Many students groan inwardly (maybe occasionally outwardly!) when a teacher announces a group project or assignment. Help put students in a positive mindset about group work by having them identify what strengths they bring to a team. The Minecraft Self-Awareness Build Challenge has three tasks that have students focus on their values, emotions, and strengths. Each task can be completed for the full benefit of building classroom community, but if time is limited, have students focus on task 3, where they build something that represents one of their strengths and then use the book and quill to write a short journal entry to go along with it. When completed, have students do a gallery walk to view their classmates' builds. Alternatively, instead of doing the build in the individual build world provided by Minecraft Education, utilize one of our build worlds (24 Build spaces, 40 Build spaces). In these, the whole class builds within the same world, but each student has their own individual space. In this scenario, you and your students can view everything in one world, essentially building your very own Minecraft community.
Another option that can be done one time, or revisited throughout the year is the Team Member ID card in Wixie. With this activity, students identify their group work strengths and weaknesses, along with their favorite part of group work. With this information in hand, teachers can form groups with members who compliment one another, setting the stage for more successful projects. Alternatively, students can share their completed ID card with their team so that they can decide how best to divide up the work. This helps to establish clear roles and expectations, which can help eliminate frustration that often comes with group work. If students know one another's strengths, and how to leverage them to offset their own perceived weaknesses, it leads to a stronger team, and a stronger classroom community.
Building a strong classroom community and fostering healthy relationships can be challenging. This is where focusing on gratitude can make a real difference. When members of the classroom community take time to acknowledge and appreciate the good in one another, it promotes a positive atmosphere and reinforces the idea that the community’s success depends on everyone’s contributions. Wixie’s High Five and Gratitude Board templates are perfect for students to access anytime, anywhere they wish to say thank you to a member of the class. The Gratitude Board can be assigned as a team activity, either whole class or in smaller groups if desired. Students can leave messages whenever they have a moment, as well as review messages left by others. The Project Activity tab makes it easy for teachers to monitor what is happening on the board. The High Five template brings the best of digital and traditional together; students can complete the high five, have it printed, and then add it to a classroom display for all to see. And don’t forget about a simple card or note; Adobe Express has great templates for this classic expression of gratitude that will appeal to all grade levels; simply search their templates with the word "thankful".
Incorporating digital tools into classroom community-building allows teachers to connect with students in engaging and meaningful ways. With the right tools and strategies, educators can create a supportive environment that enhances learning and brings students closer together.
It’s no secret that relationships are key in the education world; whether it's colleague to colleague, student to teacher, or teacher to families, building a strong community is critical to the success of students. In fact, the AACPS Strategic Plan specifically calls out the sense of belonging as one of the 6 core beliefs, stating:
“We believe that genuine connections and relationships are the foundation of a successful community. We are committed to nurturing strong bonds between students, staff, families, and community members so everyone feels connected, supported, and valued."
Even the Maryland Digital Learning Standards emphasize the importance of collaboration with standard number 7, Global Communicator:
Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally. Students:
a) Use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.
While building a classroom community is widely recognized as essential, finding the time for it can be challenging with the demands of the curriculum. Teachers can foster a sense of belonging by making the most of small time blocks, such as warm-ups, morning work, elementary enrichment periods, secondary advisory periods, or even transitions between classes, for meaningful community-building activities. Digital tools like Nearpod, Discovery Education, and Wixie are excellent resources for helping students connect with classmates within limited time frames or for seamlessly integrating community-building moments into existing lessons.
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| Wixie Class Survey Example |
If access to devices is a problem, leverage the interactivity of your classroom SMARTBoard. For example, set up a Class Survey question in Wixie. As students enter the room, they can respond by dragging the appropriate square to show their response. Even setting up a blank Lumio slide where students can write on the board gives students the opportunity to utilize accessibility functionality such as text to speech, as well as search for images or stickers that relate to the topic. In either scenario, new slides/pages can be added as desired, creating a class book of thoughts that can be revisited throughout the year, which reinforces to students that their ideas are valued and that their voices matter.
Speaking of giving students a voice, establishing shared class goals is a good way to build community. By taking just 5 minutes each Friday to establish the class goals for the week we can help set the tone and make sure that everyone is on the same page for what needs to be worked on. The completed goals template can be shared via the LMS or posted in the physical classroom. If created with one of Adobe Express’ many templates, the goals can be easily translated into multiple languages if needed. The completed goals can also be shared with the student’s families, further extending the classroom community beyond the school.
Not only is establishing a positive whole class dynamic important, but so is building students’ capacity to work effectively in small groups. Incorporating robot coding challenges into daily or weekly routines is a great way to work on soft skills like communication, listening, and problem solving. It’s amazing how putting a robot out for students to play with can break down barriers and engage students instantly! All AACPS schools have Sphero robots available for check out through their library media center. Sphero indi, found at all elementary schools, comes with 15 physical challenge cards in each student kit making it easy to get started. At the middle school and high school level, Sphero Bolt and Sphero RVRs can be found; Bolt Challenge Cards and RVR lessons can be found on Sphero Central providing secondary teachers with starting resources.
Many students groan inwardly (maybe occasionally outwardly!) when a teacher announces a group project or assignment. Help put students in a positive mindset about group work by having them identify what strengths they bring to a team. The Minecraft Self-Awareness Build Challenge has three tasks that have students focus on their values, emotions, and strengths. Each task can be completed for the full benefit of building classroom community, but if time is limited, have students focus on task 3, where they build something that represents one of their strengths and then use the book and quill to write a short journal entry to go along with it. When completed, have students do a gallery walk to view their classmates' builds. Alternatively, instead of doing the build in the individual build world provided by Minecraft Education, utilize one of our build worlds (24 Build spaces, 40 Build spaces). In these, the whole class builds within the same world, but each student has their own individual space. In this scenario, you and your students can view everything in one world, essentially building your very own Minecraft community.
Another option that can be done one time, or revisited throughout the year is the Team Member ID card in Wixie. With this activity, students identify their group work strengths and weaknesses, along with their favorite part of group work. With this information in hand, teachers can form groups with members who compliment one another, setting the stage for more successful projects. Alternatively, students can share their completed ID card with their team so that they can decide how best to divide up the work. This helps to establish clear roles and expectations, which can help eliminate frustration that often comes with group work. If students know one another's strengths, and how to leverage them to offset their own perceived weaknesses, it leads to a stronger team, and a stronger classroom community.
Building a strong classroom community and fostering healthy relationships can be challenging. This is where focusing on gratitude can make a real difference. When members of the classroom community take time to acknowledge and appreciate the good in one another, it promotes a positive atmosphere and reinforces the idea that the community’s success depends on everyone’s contributions. Wixie’s High Five and Gratitude Board templates are perfect for students to access anytime, anywhere they wish to say thank you to a member of the class. The Gratitude Board can be assigned as a team activity, either whole class or in smaller groups if desired. Students can leave messages whenever they have a moment, as well as review messages left by others. The Project Activity tab makes it easy for teachers to monitor what is happening on the board. The High Five template brings the best of digital and traditional together; students can complete the high five, have it printed, and then add it to a classroom display for all to see. And don’t forget about a simple card or note; Adobe Express has great templates for this classic expression of gratitude that will appeal to all grade levels; simply search their templates with the word "thankful".
Incorporating digital tools into classroom community-building allows teachers to connect with students in engaging and meaningful ways. With the right tools and strategies, educators can create a supportive environment that enhances learning and brings students closer together.
