Creating a welcoming and inclusive classroom community was work that my students and I did everyday. Continue reading to learn more about the classroom environment we were able to build.
Make Space for Mistakes
I made space for mistakes in our classroom because I believed it would foster true and authentic learning. I achieved this by being open about my feelings with my students. I loved having honest conversations with my students and often would admit to them when I felt my lessons did not go as planned or required changes. I think that making mistakes in front of students reminded them that we were all human, and motivated them to learn. I also took every chance I got to show students that I too was learning from them, though I feared this might remove some of my authority in the classroom, it instead created a deeper level of trust between my students and I.
Patience & Compassion
I practiced patience and compassion all year long. I truly believe these two were integral to my survival as a teacher. Being patient and compassionate towards my students reminded me that my class wasn’t always going to be the most important aspect of my students’ live, but that we could still continue to learn important things from each other every day.
