Nurturing a Strong Community

At the heart of every classroom are the trusting and caring relationships that are nurtured within it.  As teachers, we strive to create safe learning spaces where students feel comfortable learning and growing and where they feel valued and a sense of belonging. Classroom community meetings go a long way in achieving this. 

Beginning our day with a morning meeting routine helps students feel welcomed, relaxed, confident, and ready to learn. Similarly, ending our day with an closing circle allows a learning community to reflect on the day's experiences and to take the time for special shout-outs, to share positive experiences with one another, and to discuss opportunities for optimal personal and academic growth. These meetings provide opportunities for students to interact and make connections with their diverse group of peers, to actively listen to others and learn about each others’ lives and perspectives, and to practice empathy and problem-solving. It's these small but deeply meaningful experiences that foster a strong sense of community and facilitate positive student learning outcomes (academic, social, and emotional).

This week's guest bloggers reflect on their community meeting experiences. Enjoy.

NOTE: the "honeycomb' as the kids call it, is our community gathering spot in The Hive. 

I feel like I can share my feelings in the honeycomb and I feel safe. It feels better to share instead of keeping it inside my head. I feel like The Hive is my safe zone.   - @Horse321

Our classroom meetings are helping us be a stronger community. We could still be doing some things better though, like when someone is alone at recess, we could invite them to join our groups. Also, when we're sitting at our lunch tables, we could try to have conversations with new people. If we try to include others all the time, it will be fun. Trust me!    - @Koala333

I think our classroom meetings help us to share how were are feeling. I love hearing about how other people are feeling, too. When I share my feelings, it makes me feel good and I have good feelings all day.   - @Dream

The morning meetings that we have feel like a first confession that I would have at church. It feels good getting something off your chest. I feel like I can trust sharing my feelings in this space. I feel like I can share things I don't normally share with people and that I can trust my classmates and teachers with the stories I tell.    - @Elizabeth-Schuyler

Our morning meeting helps me feel like I'm a part of an important community because nobody ignores me when I talk and I feel like people really do care about what I have to say. I just feel like I'm not left out. But most of all it feels like this big huge family that cares. That's THE HIVE.   - @Cheesy

I think the effect of doing our morning meetings and afternoon circles will make us more likely to sit next to people that we don't normally sit next to. Sharing about our day with each other is very calming and it's a great way to have an open mind and think about things differently. An open mind is the only kind. This is the best way to start and end our day!   - @TheBeeGuy101

I think that the morning meeting helps me feel calm and makes me feel like I'm friends with everybody. I feel like it's a good way to start my day, especially when I have a hard time getting ready for school in the morning.   - @G-Money

I really like having our morning and afternoon meetings. Other conversations that we could have during these meetings could be about what could have happened during the day or what we wanted to happen. More conversation leads to more sharing of our feelings.    - @Chickadee

I am hoping that our morning and afternoon meetings will encourage people to continue working on being polite and calm. I hope that these meets continue to be just as nice and pleasant as they are now.   - @Honey

When we do our classroom gatherings and people share, it helps me be less shy. Also, it helps me start and end my day on a good note.    - @Blocky

The morning meetings that we are doing really help me slow down my day and that's a good thing. It also shows a calm result to the end of the day. In the mornings I can get really stressed about whether or not I'll miss the bus and if I'll remember to bring my homework or something like that. Our meetings make me realize that lots of people care and feel a similar way as I do. It helps me feel like I am not lost in my emotions.   - @EarthySmurf

Our morning meetings help me feel like I'm in an important community. The fact that others are sharing their feelings, thoughts, and shout-outs makes me feel like I can tell anyone anything. To me, that is really important. When people share these things, we become closer friends and classmates.    - @Ham

During our afternoon circle, I want us to give each other lots of compliments. In our morning meeting, I like that we greet each other. These meetings make kids feel good and included.    - @Flash4

Our class meetings make me feel important in The Hive because I know that I'm listening to my classmates and that they are listening to me.   - @Pickle03

I think our morning meetings are very calming and they help us to lift each other's spirits. Our afternoon circle ends our days with a joyful heart. These meetings change our thinking about how we can make a good day into a great day.   - @Wolverine12

Our community meetings are important because we get to share our ideas and tell each other what we are thinking. It's good to slow down and go one at a time and be silent while each person is sharing. When others share and encourage others to share it makes me feel more comfortable sharing. It makes me want to encourage others to speak, too.    - @Kiwi22

Our morning meetings help me feel like I am important in my community. When everyone gets to participate it feels good and it makes people feel included. If everybody felt that way all the time, then BA-DA-BING! We'd have the strongest community ever!    - @M&M

Whether you feel like you've gotten up on the "wrong side of the bed" or you are stressed about something in your life, when you come into The Hive, that all goes away. It is amazing that just making eye contact with your teachers and classmates can make you feel needed or loved. It makes you feel happy sitting next to someone that you've never sat next to or just saying "hi" or "hello". It's the same feeling you get when you do a good deed. All that from just a simple "hi". It may not seem like a big thing, but it's a fantastic way to start and end your day.   - @Pineapple 

Thinking Inside the Box

This week, students were able to participate in the ultimate live Breakout EDU experience, using teamwork and critical thinking to complete a "mission", solving a series of challenging puzzles related to a recent novel study in order to open a locked box of treasure. For those not familiar with Breakout EDU, they are similar to "escape room" experiences. 

Breakout EDU games can be used in a variety of ways, including introducing a new topic or concept, for strengthening learning, delving deeper into topics, or for thinking critically about literature (which was the purpose of this week's Breakout EDU). The games provide a student-centered learning experience where students use critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication to problem-solve and own their learning, apply their understanding of new content or even discover it. One of the best aspects of these games is that they provide students with many opportunities to fail forward.  Every unsuccessful attempt to solve a puzzle and open a lock forces the player to try again. These Wild Robot (novel by Peter Brown) fans were determined to complete their mission within the allotted 45-minute timeframe. The first team broke the codes within 34 minutes and the second team broke them within 36 minutes - both teams setting a Spofford record!  It was just as thrilling for us to observe as it was for students to participate - they were supporting one another as learners and persevering through the more difficult aspects of the challenge. Student feedback:  "Please, can we do another one soon?"  You can bet we will and next time, we'll level up! 

Special thanks to Mrs. Kosakowski, our digital literacy specialist, for putting together this special mission for our students. There will definitely be more to come!

This week's guest bloggers reflect on their first live Breakout EDU experience. Enjoy.

I think we should have listened to more people's ideas because sometimes I heard people on our team say, "No, that's not going to work." We should have been saying instead, "Sure, let's try that."   - @Horse321

If we had to do this again, my team should have split up the tasks and have some kids look for clues while others solved the puzzles. My team had good leadership. I guess teamwork does make the dream work. A shout-out to @Dream who was really helpful finding the clues!   - @PickleKitty

I want to give a shout-out to @Swagger_25 because during the Breakout, he was helping everyone out and being both a team player and a leader.    - @M&M

I think that my team did well with the breakout. We collaborated well and shared our thinking with each other. I would just like to say that @Lightning24 and others rounded the group and said, "Come on, we can do this guys!" and "Stay with me!" By working together as a team, we were able to open all of the locks and get to the prize. This shows that if you try super hard and don't give up, you can succeed.  - @Pineapple

The next time we do this, I think we could be better about thinking about our answers to the clues, especially when we are given a clue from the teacher. We shouldn't just be guessing, we should be thinking.    - @Chickadee

@Polly had lots of great ideas. She encouraged others and she really helped our team be successful. She looked for clues and helped solve puzzles. She was doing it all. She never gave up, even when no one was listening to her and she had the right answer. She won it for our team.   - @Galaxy

I think @Swagger_25 was being a good leader because when he started helping us, I felt like we could do it. He really pulled the group together. Also, @PickleKitty was really helpful, too. We were able to open all of the locks and beat the clock!   - @Dream

I think my team could improve by letting everybody do something to contribute. A lot of the time, my team had one person doing the work and others weren't able to do anything. It would be good if we all talked before we started so that we could figure out how we could all participate equally.   - @Zombie

My advice to another class who wants to do this is to never give up! When my team was struggling, we would stop and review what we did that was wrong. That was very helpful. We also encouraged each other and we felt like a team. - EarthySmurf

If I were to give advice to another class who wanted to do this, I would say: Always have fun, be kind, don't be bossy, and do your best to collaborate. Also, listen to others and share your thinking.    - @Flash4

I want to give a shout-out to @Venom. He was really positive and really cooperative during this experience. He worked really hard and suggested that we divide and conquer so that we could complete the challenge. His thinking was far outside the box and he had some great ideas.    - @TheBeeGuy101

If I were to give advice to another class who wanted to do a breakout, I would tell them that they should listen, share ideas, and work as a team.   - @Strawberry

I think our team could have collaborated better. Some people weren't letting others have a go at the puzzles. Everyone should be able to participate equally. Also, I felt like my team could have broke out faster if we remembered that we were racing the clock, not the other team.   - @Pickle03

If I were to give advice to another class who wanted to do this, it would be to use teamwork, perseverance, kindness, and leadership. You have to support your team at all times. If they take this advice, they will be a good team and succeed.  - @Mac

If I were to give advice to another class who wanted to do a breakout, I would say, "Teamwork and listening to others is the way to have a successful game even if you don't win."    - @Lightning24

If I were to give advice to another class about this game, I would say WORK TOGETHER. Seriously, I wasn't doing enough of this. If it weren't for my awesome teammates, we wouldn't have cracked the codes.  @Cheeto111

I want to give a shout-out to @Polly and it's not because she is my friend. It's because she was so positive and was always focused on trying to solve each puzzle. Thanks for being a leader, @Polly!  - @Ham

I want to give a shout-out to @Pineapple and @WowWriter. They helped our team find clues and helped us work together. They made the mission fun.   - @Lonnie

I want to give a shout-out to my whole group. We worked as a great team!! I want to point out that @Lightning24 really helped our group. He completed an online puzzle, but he let others help him.  - @WowWriter

I want to give a shout-out to @Swagger_25 for holding the group together and reminding everyone that "We can do this!"    - @Giraffe

A member of our team who really collaborated well and was positive was @Polly. She was in it to win it the whole time. She was very focused and she worked hard even when we were stuck. Also, she didn't get frustrated when time was running out - she thought outside the box and persevered.   - @Wolverine12

I want to give a shout-out to my whole team, but especially @BeeGuy101 and @Elizabeth_Schuyler. They both showed leadership and never gave up. Our group worked together really well together and had a lot of fun.   - @Koala333

If we were to do another breakout, I would include more people in the mission. Not everyone in the group was participating and I think everyone wanted to. It works better when everyone gets to participate.   - @Polly

If we were to do this again, I think teams should pay less attention to the locks and more attention to the actual clues. Also, if you want to succeed, the whole team has to work together.    - @Venom

I want to give a shout-out to @Polly. @Polly worked really hard for our team, she never gave up, and she was never bossy. She was a really good leader. I would love to do this again with her.    - @G-Money

My team could have collaborated better. Instead of saying things like "I want to do it!" we could have been saying "Let's work together!". Even I think I could work on that.   - @Elizabeth_Schuyler

Unleashing Our Creativity

Research shows that when students create multimedia, it engages a wide variety of cognitive skills. Deeper learning and the development of critical thinking skills occur, allowing them to express what they've learned in meaningful ways that are unique to them.  

Through a grant generously funded by the B.E.S.T. organization, The Hive now has access to WeVideo - an online video editing tool for beginners. We chose this digital tool for a variety of reasons this year, which you will discover through this blog as the school year unfolds (hint: we're remaking literacy in relevant and exciting ways). We introduced WeVideo to students this week as part of a literacy unit on story themes. Students have been learning about the importance of story themes (the theme being one reason why an author writes a story - using the story to share a message with readers). We focused on one particular story titled The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. Students were able to identify a variety of relatable themes in this story. Having them write about those themes laid the foundation of what was about to come next. We took their thinking to the next level, asking them to create a video book trailer for the story that portrayed one of the themes that they identified in the story (initially launching the experience with a storyboard plan). Talk about total engagement - satisfaction and enjoyment x 10. We observed the development of several skills including, but not limited to creative thinking, critical thinking, vocabulary, and communication. Students will be sharing these book trailers with third-grade classes in an effort to promote this much-loved book. Today's guest bloggers reflect on this experience. Enjoy! (P.S. scroll to the end to find some examples of their amazing book trailers)

WeVideo is an amazing digital tool. It stretched my creativity and my thinking to the next level. I like WeVideo because I can be creative without too many rules.   - WowWriter

I used to think THEME was the topic of a story, but now I know that THEME is the message or lesson that the author wants you to take away from the story to help you in life or to be a better person.  - Cheeto111

Using WeVideo helped deepen my understanding of THEME because making a book trailer that portrays the THEME of the story without coming out and saying it made me have to think about what pictures and words I would need to use to represent it.  - Lonnie

WeVideo is a good digital tool to help us develop our literacy skills and it makes learning the skills super fun. It helped me think about THEME in different ways, which was really awesome and helpful.  - Wolverine12

WeVideo helped me deepen my understanding of THEME because I could represent the THEME with images instead of just words. Finding the right images took a lot of thought.  - WaterBottle1

Using WeVideo to represent the THEME took a lot of thinking because the pictures and the words have to be just right in order for them to go together and show the THEME without just saying it.  - Swagger_25

Using WeVideo helped me deepen my understanding of THEME. It was a lot of responsibility to find the right images and choose the right text that fit the story's THEME (True friendship means making sacrifices). If you haven't read The Wild Robot, you should. It's a very good book. - Pineapple

BELOW ARE A FEW OF OUR STUDENTS' BOOK TRAILERS