Community Building

Introductions

Student voice builds community. Create a list of activities you might do with the class and ask students to rank them. What would you like doing? What would you not like doing? What do you want to see in the class? How do you learn best?... not just be told what to learn.
Find out what they love and what they are passionate about, and incorporate it.
Virtual background challenge - change your background to suit how you're feeling. This will give you something to talk about as you join.
Team Trivia, games & challenges
Home treasure hunt. Get students moving by giving them 30 secs to find something soft or green. Will spark conversations and fun facts!
Joke or quote of the day. Ask students to share.
Virtual Signals when mics are muted, maybe even a class handshake!
Virtual Ice Breakers
Describe your interests and passions in a digital collage or wordle. (Sample shared by L. Phillips)
Share a coffee, water break or meal together online.
Share a highlight of the month or fail of the month.
Two truths and a lie (vote using dots on Jamboard)
- 10 Jamboard Templates
Improv storytelling.. share photos and call out people to help make up and continue the story of what happened next.

It does not matter the age of our students. We all want to feel a sense of community. Try this scavenger hunt to help get students speaking.

25 Community Building Activities

Virtual Team Building Activities

Building Trust with Your Students

Exit Ticket

20 Exit Tickets & Reflection Prompts Ready to Use

Community Building Together:

Ask your students for ideas to participate in community building and share with @TVinnovates #TVCreateFest.... Click below for more info to get started!

2020/2021 Video

Full Remote Kindergarten Resources for Elementary

Well-Being

Quick Strategy Guide Mental Health and Well-Being (In-Person).pdf

The First 10 Days (and Beyond): Creating caring connections and supporting student mental health during the return to school

Social-Emotional Learning Lessons: K-12

Social-Emotional Learning

The importance of building relationships and community continues to be our number one priority for the start of each consecutive Quadmester. However, this essential work doesn't stop after Day 1 or Week 1 - it is ongoing and ever-present, interwoven throughout every lesson in every course. Knowing our students provides the foundation of instruction: without the first, we cannot hope for success in the second.

Building School & Classroom Community: A Trauma-Sensitive Approach

by TVDSB Safe Schools and Well-being

This document, originally designed to support educators and students coming back to school, should be used throughout each quadmester to build safety, connection, regulation and learning in the classroom. This Quick Reference Guide focuses on Strategies to Support Students, and acts as a helpful tip sheet for educators.

To learn more about building community in your classroom, click here: Rebuilding School and Classroom Community: A Trauma-Sensitive Approach

And for virtual classroom community building, click here: Building Virtual Classroom Community: A Trauma-Sensitive Approach

FALL - iPLEDGE Campaign