Embedded Files
List of Student-Formulated Classroom Norms
A necessary first step to creating a student-centered classroom is to create community norms that set the tone of the class and ensure that all members feel safe to express their experiences, ideas, and points of view. Within the first week of Brown Summer High School, we created a list of community expectations. I asked each student to contribute two guidelines they believed would be necessary for productively engaging in our class. Before sharing as a class, students individually wrote down norms in their notebooks they wanted the class to adopt; then, I asked them to share what they had written with a partner to make them feel more comfortable when they shared their ideas aloud.
By asking students to set their own expectations for the class, rather than simply giving them a list to follow, I sought to create a space where knowledge is co-created and co-owned. As the summer progressed, we consistently returned to community norms that hung on the wall and added more to the list as students saw fit. I intentionally referenced it before every student-led discussion to affirm to students that what they shared would be respected.
Students' testimonials about the classroom environment we fostered
I believe this is an important artifact in my portfolio as it shows my dedication to creating a safe, student-centered classroom environment. By posting the community norms in an easily visible place on the wall, I communicated to all students from the start that they would be expected to make space for all voices, and any disrespect would not be tolerated.
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