Recipe: Creating a Healthy Learning Community

*EQUAL PIECES OF THE PIE: If kids are to experience a whole, full and rich
education, it is my job to facilitate and foster such a culture of community. We
accomplish this by celebrating diversity and creating equitable learning for all
students. As a teacher, I build great foundational relationships with my students to
build trust, to inspire learning, to ensure safety and to be the best advocate that I can
be for each one of them. I have open communication with parents/guardians to get
a better understanding of home life, and to help bridge the gap between connecting
school to home. My room is always a safe-haven for students to come and work or
just to hang out and talk.
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will
spend its whole life believing that it is stupid. -Einstein

Ingredients
Genuine Relationships

Amount (In Equal Measures)

1 cup

Parent Communication

48 tsp

Respect of Self and Others

16 tbsp

Celebrating Differences

8 fl oz

Grouped Desk Layout

1/2 pt

Engaging Strategies/Curriculum

1/4 qt

Positive Language/Feedback
Teachable Moments
Lots of Choice
Humor/Fun/Games

1/16 gal
4 & 1/2 lb
227 g
227000 kg

Instructions (Specific strategies to encourage positive behaviors)

1. COOPERATIVE LEARNING: At the beginning of the school year, the whole class makes an Agreements contract to be hung up
in the classroom for all to see. Also at the beginning of the year, to promote equity and culturally responsive practices, each student
decorates his/her own equal piece of the pie to form a whole class pie chart. Each piece of the pie is unique and crucial to make the
whole. These two posters are intentional visual points in the classroom to celebrate students positive contributions, to support genuine
constructive feedback, and to use as a reference during teachable moments.
2. SPACE: The classroom is set up in the form of table groups which allows for easy transitions into think-pair-share times, learning
stations, and large surface areas for hands-on discovery. I implement the research-based practice of creating Tiered Groups in lesson
planning based on either content readiness, learning style or student interests. This is done to ensure authentic student engagement in
learning new concepts.
3. ROUTINES/TRANSITIONS: Every lesson starts with an essential question that we will discover and explore together. Objectives of
the day are written on the board so each student is aware of the learning goals. I always model new concepts and activities to encourage
smooth transitions into independent and group work time. Every Monday morning, we have a whole class share time to build
relationships, understand each other better, and to gently ease into a new school week.
4.STUDENT CHOICE: Our classroom is infused with Universal Design for Learning instructional and assessment strategies. Students
have choice in showing their knowledge (visual, audio, tactile, etc.) , creating projects, group work and integrating technology
applications.
*Inspired by: Alina Bossbaly from Improbable Scholars by Kirp