The number one important need in a classroom is community.  This is not something that you can get over night or gain and not maintain.  Community is something that is built within a group of people with a common goal for everyone to be successful.  The most successful teachers take the first two weeks of a school year to turn a classroom of students into a community.  Activities, group work, and the establishment of classroom rules are a great way to start a community.  Daily meetings and weeks actives a great community can be maintained.

Family Collaboration 

Room to Grow

Bringing family into the classroom helps build a positive and safe learning environment.  Having families share responsibilities of classroom roles and being guest speakers builds a learning environment built on opens, mutual respect, and support.  

On a students birthday the family is invited to share the experiences of the student through a Celebration of Life.  A celebration of like can include photos, but most importantly stories about the student growing up to become the person he or she is today.

When studying geography ask family members to come share experiences of living in different countries or tell stories about their travels.  For social studies have families come in and host cultural celebrations.

It is important for children to feel safe in a learning environment.  Building a classroom community around respect, acceptance, and support will help learners feel safe in the classroom.  A "peace area" is an important place in a classroom.  When students get frustrated with peers or work or over stimulated by classroom activities, students should be encouraged to relax in the peace area until they feel safe enough to rejoin the class. 

Having many areas throughout the classroom that encourage collaboration or working independently allows the students to move freely within the classroom to where they are most comfortable working.