Classroom+Meeting

=**Classroom Meeting: An Implementation**=

We have discussed classroom meetings before in this program, but I particularly liked the structure that my cooperating teacher used. The structure helped to create a safe space and allowed all students to have an equal voice.

//Method and rules// •Students/teacher sit in a circle. •A question is asked; each successive student answers the question. •EVERYONE in the room answers (including teacher) •Students are allowed one pass. •No one can respond to what others say, either verbally or gesturally. •No one can use names or refer to specific incidents. •Nothing is repeated outside the classroom.

//Tips// •Start with a couple easy questions to establish the rules and build trust. It’s guaranteed that on the first pass, some students will respond to what someone says. After the first round, students can self-evaluate if they followed the rules. •Respond to each student with a simple “thank you” without indicating any judgment. •Be quick especially at the beginning to reinforce the expectations of behavior. •Start the answers at different points in the circle, and go in different directions for each question. Warn the student who you are going to begin with, and give the student a minute to think about the answer.

//My experience with this technique// I used this with a 7th grade math class with which I was having classroom management issues. These questions were used: 1.What is your favorite food? 2.What is something you are planning to do this summer? 3.Name someone you respect, and say why. 4.What do you like about this class? 5.What would you change about this class? 6.What is one norm or rule you would like to see in place in this class?

I was surprised that these 6 questions took up most of one class period. The intent of the first three questions was to establish the rules, create a safe space, and allow for some honest emotional sharing. Students’ answers to the question about who they respect were very moving. Many students referred to parents or grandparents who had made big sacrifices or faced daunting challenges to support and care for my students. When we got to the questions I was most concerned with (the last three), I got thoughtful, respectful commentary on what was going on in the classroom and what both the students and the teacher (me!) could do to improve the learning climate. I consolidated their answers to the final question and used them as our class norms. I was able to refer to these norms to correct problem behavior throughout the rest of my student teaching with fairly good results.