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When we finally have our own classrooms, it will be important to establish clear expectations and develop a classroom community as soon as we start the year! We all want to see positive learning behaviors individually, as well as through peer-to-peer interaction! We can implement our expectations and positive behaviors that contribute to acceptance and positive community by using mentor texts and uplifting books to show students the importance of working together!

We can also implement games, role playing scenarios and daily morning meetings to contribute to a positive classroom community!

Families and teachers have the opportunity to engage in communication that reinforces these community values! When there is flowing and open communication, we can work together to achieve a positive learning outcome and positive interactions!

The following are all examples of what we, as educators, can implement in our classrooms to achieve a cohesive and friendly community within our classrooms!

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The first few weeks of school are overwhelming. There is so much to teach in terms of classroom procedures, classroom community, routines, and expectations! Connecting a read-aloud to these activities can make them more memorable and engaging for students. Using lessons based on books for back-to-school can also help create a bridge between fictional situations and real scenarios in your classroom. This can facilitate great discussion and help students buy into your classroom management plan. These classroom community books make great read alouds and are perfect for back to school!

26 Great Back-to-School Books for Elementary Students to Start the New School Year Off Right

While we often spend a great deal of time setting things up and pulling out all our back-to-school organizational tools, finding great books is an important opportunity to connect with learners.
Here are some of my favorites:
1. You're Here for a Reason by Nancy Tillman

This is a beautiful book by the same author who wrote On the Night You Were Born, the popular book for new parents.

The book tells children about their value and importance. It instills the idea that each child has individual gifts that are an important part of their home or school community.

The words talk about how small actions have bigger reactions but the illustrations really demonstrate that everything you do has an effect on others around you, whether you realize it or not.

It is a wonderful way to teach about the value of small acts of kindness! And you can follow it up by starting a classroom shout-out or kindness board. I've shared more details about how to get started here: How to build classroom community the first days of school.

2. What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi Yamada

Looking for a back-to-school book to help your students feel confident taking challenges and work through problems in your classroom? This story is PERFECT!

In this story, a child is dealing with an unexpected problem. It talks about the anxiety the child feels regarding the problem. This is a great book to teach problem-solving and the emotions and fears that come with daily struggles.

Many teachers teach problem-solving but do not touch on the emotional component that tends to weigh on children's minds and hearts. This is a great book to have a dialogue about problems students face at home and at school and how to solve the problems bravely!

3. Wordy Birdy by Tammi Sauer

This is a cute story that lends itself to lots of giggling and interacting with your students. Wordy Birdy talks and talks and talks and rarely listens! It's a fun story to teach students the importance of active listening to the teacher and classmates.

Through Wordy Birdy's missteps, students can learn about appropriate times in the classroom for talking and asking questions and times when listening is more important.

4. What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada

This book follows a similar format to What Do You Do With A Problem? but focuses on a child who has an idea and doesn't know how to embrace it and put it into action! It talks about being nervous about sharing your ideas with others and what happens when others don't value your ideas.

Students at any age struggle with this concept and students can be critical of one another. This book shows the importance of being proud of your own ideas and respecting the ideas of others.

It encourages students to take their ideas and run with them!

5. Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller

This book is realistic fiction and it talks about spreading kindness in simple terms for children. It gives practical examples of things that kids can do daily and talks about how being kind can sometimes be challenging.

The main character struggles with wanting to be kind but not knowing the best way to do it.

Because this book starts with a dilemma that can happen in any school, the conversation about problem-solving and being a kind friend can begin.

The main character's internal struggle and the sadness that the other character feels, allows for students to feel empathy and compassion.

6. The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill

This is a very cute rhyming story that talks about bullying on the playground.

It is so important to explicitly teach appropriate recess behavior because it is a time where students are not as easily supervised. Free play can lead to mischief and hurt feelings unless clear rules and expectations are set from the beginning.

This book is a great introduction for a conversation on how to approach those playground conflicts and what to do if they see or experience bullying.

Through this story, you can teach about identifying a bully, what the role of bystanders is and how to use kindness to overcome adversity.

7. The Bad Seed by Jory John & Pete Oswald

8. I Am Enough by Grace Byers

This is a great back to school to remind students to be proud of who they are. It can be easy for some students to get sucked into trying to keep up and be popular, but this book is a great reminder that each of your students is unique and has something amazing to offer the classroom.

The story itself is full of metaphors about reaching goals, being proud, and trying your best. It celebrates individuality and opens the conversation about differences within the classroom.

Many students struggle internally with insecurities with their looks and abilities. This book breaks down some of the barriers and tells students that their worth is important and valued! They are enough and should be proud to be who they are!

9. We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

This is a story for the first day of school! While I love First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg, many students have already heard the story multiple times by the time they make their way to upper elementary. This book is a great alternative.

Penelope Rex is a dinosaur that is very nervous about her first day of school. She is surprised to find out that her classmates aren't dinosaurs like her but...children!

You can use this story to talk about how students feel on the first day and different ways to make new friends. No one wants to be friends with a dinosaur who eats her classmates!

This book made me laugh out loud a few times, and it is great for facilitating discussions about sharing and kindness for younger students. Older students can use the story to foster a discussion about empathy and feeling left out .

10. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

This award-winning book is another great story about overcoming fear and having the courage to make connections in a new situation.

Many students feel alone during the first few days of school. Whether they've been separated from friends, are brand new to the school, or just don't feel like they fit in, your students are looking to you to help them find the courage to connect with one another.

This story reminds us that we all feel like we don't quite fit in sometimes. It focuses on teaching students to push forward and be courageous anyway because they never know who might make the perfect friend.

11. The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray

12. Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can't Go to School by Christina Geist

This is a funny story about a day when all the grown-ups beg to join their kids at school...but school is just for kids & teachers.

The story is funny and fast-paced and students love the illustrations. It is a great opportunity to discuss personal responsibility.

I love making the connections that their parent isn't in our class so it isn't their responsibility to remember homework or lunches. Instead, I remind my students that THEY can take this on themselves this year.

The book is also great for showing school as a desirable and fun place to be, which is great for nervous or reluctant students.

13. My Creature Teacher by Laura Leuck

If you're looking for classroom community books that discuss rules and procedures without being a total snoozefest, this one is perfect! My students love the fun, colorful illustrations of the monsters' classroom. There are so many small details that the kids notice.

However, I love that this book goes through classroom, lunchroom, and playground scenarios to help start a discussion about how students should act in those different settings.

Whether you use it at the beginning of the year or as a rules refresher closer to Halloween, I definitely recommend you pick up this book!

14. Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break if You Want to Survive the School Bus by John Grandits

This story is perfect for those students who have older siblings who have taught them the ropes of what's to come in your grade level.

The main character, Kyle, is nervous about his first day riding the bus. His older brother explains the 10 unbreakable rules he must follow.

However, during the ride Kyle is faced with scenarios that go in the face of each rule his brother has taught him.

By the end, he realizes that the bus isn't that all bad and that he might even have a few tricks to teach his big brother.

15. The Exceptionally Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School by Albert Lorenz

If you are looking for engaging and funny books for building classroom community, look no further than this one!

The story revolves around John, who is new to his school. When asked if this school is different than his old school, his reply creates a wacky and wild tale that thrills his new classmates and leaves them riveted.

This book is truly hilarious, and it is great for helping new students feel a little more comfortable in their new classroom.

16. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett

This book is great for getting started with growth mindset, and the idea that your classroom is a safe space for making mistakes.

The perfectionists in your classroom will relate to Beatrice, the main character. She never forgets homework, always does everything she is supposed to, and even wins the talent show EVERY YEAR.

This book is truly hilarious, and it is great for helping new students feel a little more comfortable in their new classroom.

17. First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg

This book perfectly captures those first day worries that can come with a new school year. So many students can relate to Sarah Hartwell's worries as she faces the first day of school in a new place.

With Mr. Hartwell's help, Sarah pulls herself together for the ride to school and faces her fears head-on with the help of the school principal.

This is such a good story for the first day, and the kids love the plot twist at the end. It is a great way to get kids talking about what they are nervous about for the new school year. It can help you answer pressing questions and assuage any lingering fears.

18. Back-to-School Rules by Laurie B. Friedman

When it comes to classroom community books, this is another great book for brainstorming and discussing classroom rules.

Percy, the narrator, explains the rules for surviving school. If you follow his rules, he guarantees doing well will be easy as pie and school will be a blast. However, there's way more involved than just showing up and staying awake. The great news is Percy shows you exactly what NOT to do.

Students love hearing about the trouble Percy gets himself into and the tips he has for a new school year, and the story really lends itself to a discussion about what the rules and expectations are for your classroom.

This is a great opportunity to transition into building your classroom social contract.

19. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

20. Dear Teacher by Amy Husband

I love funny books at the beginning of the year. When students laugh together, it starts to form that classroom bond with a shared experience.

This story is a perfect opportunity to get your students giggling. Written in the form of letters from a student named Michael, this book is packed with zany adventures. Michael writes his new teacher to tell her tales that include pirates, space adventures, and more...but none of it can save him from the first day of school. Or can it?

A great follow-up activity is to have students write you a letter about themselves or the important things they want you to know about them. Just briefly review the parts of a friendly letter as you read the text, and you're ready to go!

21. Adventures to School: Real-Life Journeys of Students from Around the World by Miranda Paul & Baptiste Paul

One important procedure to review on the first day of school is transportation - both arrival and dismissal procedures. However, it can be a challenge to make this process engaging. It's truly just one of those must-do activities.

Try shaking things up by reading Adventures to School with your students. It shares how thirteen different students from around the globe get to school each day. While all the journeys are different, each ends with the same goal.

While you are reading, you can plot each child's home on a map for added learning. Then discuss the various ways your students arrive and depart school before reviewing dismissal procedures on the first day.

22. How to Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan

We love How to Babysit a Grandpa by Jean Reagan around our house, so when I saw this book on the shelf at Target, I had to pick it up and take a peek.

In this version, the students explain how to make your teacher feel welcome during the school year. It is quite funny and it really would lend itself to a number of great conversations about procedures and building community at the beginning of a new school year.

23. This School Year Will Be the Best by Kay Winters

The beginning of the new school year is the perfect time to get students talking about expectations for the new year, and this is the perfect back to school read-aloud to get started.

The book revolves around a new class discussing what they'd like to happen during the school year. From the familiar to the zany, each student shares his or her hopes.

With engaging and hilarious illustrations, your students are sure to love this story and it lends itself perfectly to a discussion of what the new year might hold.

24. I Didn't Do My Homework Because... by Davide Cali

Looking to create a no-excuse classroom when it comes to homework? This is the perfect back-to-school read-aloud for introducing homework expectations. If you're looking for a book with giant lizard invasions, sneaky elves, and meat-eating plants...this is the book for you!

With all kinds of crazy excuses about why the student's homework isn't complete, this story gets wilder with each page turn. Your students will love the illustrations, and you'll love that you get to discuss homework without getting glazed-over expressions from your students.

25. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

26. The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah

Speaking of books that are all about accepting differences, this one is a real back-to-school read-aloud winner.

The story is about best friends who love doing things together, especially eating lunch. Lily eats peanut butter and Salma eats hummus. No big deal, right? Until it is...

As students watch the story unfold, Salma and Lily find a way to put aside their differences and learn that we are all unique and that our differences shouldn't get in the way of friendship.

You can follow up this book with a "Find Someone Who" activity that helps students focus on their similarities with peers they may not have known before.

Back-to-School Read Aloud Freebie Activity

Building a strong classroom community is about focusing on finding ways your students can connect. Many of the titles listed above focus on that concept, but it is always great to add a post-reading activity to get your students actively engaged in the process.

I've created this free "Find a Friend" activity that focuses on helping your students find what they have in common with one another.

This free back-to-school activity would be perfect to complete after reading a book like The Sandwich Swap or The Day You Begin from the back-to-school book list in this article, but it could also be used any time during the first week of school.

Grab my FREE FIND A FRIEND ACTIVITY now!

Looking for more great books for your classroom?

Look no further than these posts I've created on my blog.

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The 15 Best Back to School Books to Teach Routines & Build Classroom

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These books are perfect for starting out a new school year. This list of 26 back to school books will help you get started teaching routines and procedures and help build classroom community.

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These are my favorite read aloud picture books to build classroom community.

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Building Classroom Community Through Daily Dedications

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This Classroom Community Building Activity is a MUST-DO For Back to School! (Escape Classroom)

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Teamwork and cooperation are essential for learning. Administration works with teachers. Teachers work together with other teachers and their students. And students work together with one another.

Not only does more learning happen when everyone works together, but it also creates more fun. Classmates working together are more likely to succeed. Teamwork helps students build communication skills as they collaborate and strategize. And, as student groups work together to conquer problems, student confidence grows.

Of course, these skills don't just apply to the classroom. They'll continue to serve your students in their everyday lives - from playing sports to building friendships, and even into their adult years.

Ready to incorporate more teamwork into your classroom? Team building activities are a great place to start! Here are our favorite team building activities, including icebreakers, indoor games, and outdoor fun.

What are the benefits of team building activities for kids?

Team building activities are beneficial for students from elementary school all the way to high school and beyond. They can be used as fun first day of school activities or as everyday boredom busters. Either way, these moments of teamwork are building essential skills.

Problem-solving skills - Problem-solving and strategizing are built into team activities. Since students can't complete these exercises on their own, they have to work as a group to reach a solution.

Creative thinking - Team building activities are a great way to help students think outside of their box. By grouping students of different backgrounds and experiences, everyone is exposed to new thoughts and ideas.

Verbal communication skills - Communication doesn't just mean knowing what to say. It's also important to develop listeningskills in order to effectively work together.

Resilience - Many team-building activities aren't completed on the first try. Having to try and try again to solve a problem builds a student's resilience.

17 team building activities for every setting

Whether you're looking for an activity to fill those last five minutes of class or go specifically with your lesson, we've got you covered!

Icebreaker team building activities

The first day of anything can be scary. Who will I sit by? Who will I talk to? What will we talk about? Ease student anxiety with fun icebreaker activities.

1. Birthday lineup

This game can be done in two ways. In the first, instruct your students to line up in order of their birthday, starting with January 1 and ending with December 31. Everyone will have to chat to find their place in line.

Or add an extra challenge by asking your students to line up in order of their birthdays, but with no talking. With some guessing and gestures, they'll have to find their spot. There are sure to be lots of giggles - the mark of a great icebreaker!

2. Catapillar race

All you need for a caterpillar race is a starting line and a finish line. Split your classrooms into teams that have four to ten students. Each team will form a straight line. Then, everyone places their hands on the shoulders of the student in front of them. On the count of three, everyone crouches down like a caterpillar, being careful not to let go of their friend's shoulders. Then, go!

3. Bingo

Make your own bingo cards that include different characteristics your students may share. For example, "I have a sister" or "I like pizza". Every card should have the same boxes to check off.

Ask students to read through the boxes and find one that's true for them. Have them walk around the room, comparing their box with the other students. Once they find a friend who has chosen the same box, they both mark that box and return their seat. Repeat the process until someone has a Bingo.

4. Storytime

This activity can be done with the whole class or small groups. Together they're going to tell a story. Provide a theme, or let them have free reign.

The first person will start the story by saying just four words. Then the next person will add on four words of their own. Keep it going until everyone is giggling about the turtle who went to the supermarket and then jumped in the pool!

Sitting in a circle or line can make it easier to tell who's turn is next, but it isn't necessary. Happy storytelling!

5. Common denominator

Common denominator, also called Thread, is a simple activity to build your students' communication skills. Assign students to small groups and set a timer for five minutes. Ask your students to find one thing that they all have in common. It may be a type of pet or favorite food. Once a group finds a common thread, they can chat about it until the time is up.

You can end the activity there or rearrange the groups and do it again. Or add arts and crafts and have your students draw a picture or flag to represent their group's common denominator.

Of course, icebreaker activities don't have to be for just the first day of school. They can be great tools to start a small group conversation or to help reintroduce students when the seating chart is rearranged.

If you're looking for even more ideas for icebreaker questions, check out our article 50+ Unique Icebreaker Questions for Kids Your Class Will Love.

Indoor team building activities

Most of the time, you need activities that can happen right inside your classroom. Even though most classrooms don't have a lot of extra space, these fun team-building activities will do the job.

6. Human knot

This activity requires no set-up or special materials. All you need is your students!

To start a human knot, have small groups of 5 to 10 students stand closely together in a circle. Instruct them to reach their hands into the middle of the circle and randomly grab another student's hand. Once every hand is grabbed, have students untangle themselves without letting go. Giggles will ensue as the group works together to bob, weave and climb their way back out.

7. Cup stacking

This quick-paced activity requires loads of teamwork and communication! You'll need a rubber band, some string, and a few cups.

Split your class into teams - groups of four to eight work best. Each team needs one rubber brand and as many strings as there are teammates. Each player ties their string to the rubber band. Then, everyone steps back and works together to place the rubber band around the cup, expanding and contracting as needed to place it just so.

8. Hula hoop fingers

This simple activity only requires a hula hoop and a group of up to eight students. Arrange the students in a circle and have them all hold out their hands, palms up. Place the hula hoop in the center of the circle, resting it on their fingertips. Their goal is to set the hula hoop on the ground without dropping it or hooking their fingers around it. And there's absolutely no grabbing! For added difficulty, ask students to use only one hand or just their index fingers

9. Marshmallow and toothpick challenge

Divide your classroom into two equal teams. Give each team a set number of marshmallows and toothpicks. Then give them their challenge - make the largest, tallest, or most creative structure!

You can give the students a few minutes to strategize or just jump right in. Teammates should take turns adding one toothpick and one marshmallow at a time to their structure.

Your students will quickly learn that faster doesn't always mean better. Their structures will need to have a good foundation and be well-built to stay steady as they get taller. It's sneaky physics learning that's a ton of fun.

Outdoor activities for team building

If it's a pretty day, take your students outside and enjoy some team-building activities in the sunshine.

10. Chuck the chicken

Chuck the chicken is an awesome team-building game for burning some energy! It's a crazy striking and fielding game with three different variations. Check out this video for all the details and get your students moving.

11. Tug-of-war

Tug-of-war is a classic team game. Split your class into two teams and grab a sturdy rope. Try your best to make sure the teams are equally matched so it's fun for everybody. And before starting, survey the environment to make sure that there are no obstacles that can injure the players. Then have each team pull as hard as they can in order to bring the other team across the line or off their feet.

12. Hula hoop pass

Teaching a large group? Hula hoop pass is a perfect choice!

Have your entire class form a circle and hold hands. Grab a hula hoop and place it on a student's arm at one point in the circle. The goal is to get the hula hoop all the way around the circle without releasing their hands. Then enjoy the laughter as everyone wiggles the hula hoop around themselves.
Need an extra challenge? Have your students race against the clock to see how fast they can get the hula hoop all the way around the circle, or divide the class into groups of two for more competition.

13. Group jump rope

Group jump rope can be lots of fun if you have multiple adults or teenagers to help out. You'll need an extra-long jump rope and plenty of space. Start swinging and have your students jump the rope in groups of two or three. They'll have to work together to not get in each other's way while jumping together.

14. Obstacle course

An obstacle course can be used in several different ways to build teamwork. One option is to split your students into pairs. One student is blindfolded while the other only uses their words to guide them through the course. Good communication is key!

Another option is to complete the course as a relay. Students can cheer each other on as they encourage each team member to complete the course the fastest.

Strategic team building games

Build problem-solving and critical thinking skills with these strategy-based team building games.

15. Scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great option for larger groups. Students can search for a single hidden prize or a list of objects. Another variation is to have students find one object for each color of the rainbow or letter of the alphabet.

Students can work in pairs or small groups. If they're looking for many objects, they'll learn it's fastest to strategize and divvy out the objects each person is responsible for finding.

16. Build as a team

This activity is a fun way to get those creative juices flowing! Give each team the same building materials and a set time for creating a structure. The building materials can range from books to duct tape to boxes to string. Whatever you have available works.

Decide if your student teams should all build the same thing, like the best bridge, or leave it open-ended and see where their imaginations take them.

17. Hidden structures

Hidden structures is an awesome team-building activity. To start, you'll need to make a structure out of legos or building blocks. Then hide it from view, under a tarp or a bedsheet.

Split your students into small groups, and instruct them to designate one person as the leader. The leader on each team comes to your desk and has ten seconds to look at and memorize your structure. Then they get 25 seconds to describe to their teammates how to build it.

Finally, the teammates will get one minute (or longer if it's complicated) to replicate your structure. Once the time is up, unveil your structure to the class and decide which team got the closest to the original.

You can repeat this process with a new structure and new leader from each team as often as you'd like.

How to easily empower team building skills in your classroom

Choose one of the activities above and start strengthening your classroom's bonds. Just remember to always keep the activities fun. If students start to get frustrated, modify the game to make it easier. It's not as much about sticking to the rules as it is about your students learning teamwork and cooperation.

Not every student will love every activity you try. And not every activity will be a hit. But with our list, we feel confident you can find a new favorite that your students will love.

Looking for more resources to empower teamwork in your classroom? Prodigy offers game-based learning solutions to keep your students entertained and excited about learning with Prodigy Math or Prodigy English. Encourage them to share their gaming wins, tips, and tricks with their fellow students, and build a culture of teamwork over competition in your classroom.

Plus, create your free teacher account to access tools for learning, including assessments, reports and test prep. Getting started is easy, so sign up today!
Create my free teacher account

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17 Fun Team Building Activities for Kids in Your Classroom

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Teamwork and cooperation are essential for learning. Administration works with teachers. Teachers work together with other teachers and their students. And students work together with one another. Not only does more learning happen when everyone works together, but it also creates more fun. Classmates working together are more likely to succeed.

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Getting parents more engaged in school is a necessary variable in the equation of student success. In fact, parent engagement can have a direct impact on student engagement itself. Multiple studies prove that students whose parents are actively engaged in their schooling typically show the following:

Higher grades

Higher test scores

Greater social skills

Better reported behavior

Easier adaptation to school

Greater likelihood of continuing into post-graduate education

It's only logical that involved parents positively impact student achievement. According to an NEA 2008 report, when schools, parents, and families work in partnership to support students, then those students succeed at a higher level. It's also important to note that when a school engages more parents, all children benefit, according to a 1995 study called A Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement.

That's great, Heather. You might be saying to yourself. But how? How do we engage parents in our schools when they themselves are busy and stressed and many are just struggling to get their students to school on time?

So I've developed what I'm calling The Eight Ps of Parent Engagement. These are meant to help guide a teacher or school or district in making outreach decisions to increase parent engagement.

Of course, it's easy to know how to increase parent engagement, but it's not as easy to actualize the steps to make it happen. Don't worry, however, you don't have to do it alone. Partner with parents to create a think tank devoted to outreach and dedicated to increasing the numbers of engaged parents. And don't limit those you partner with to those who are already engaged. Call directly to invite others. Create a shared vision where school is seen as a positive place for all stakeholders, and get ready to launch a campaign to engage more parents than ever.

Your students will thank you for it and they, too, will be more engaged.
Heather Wolpert-Gawron is a teacher at Jefferson Middle School in San Gabriel, Calif., and the author of Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement.

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Here are a few tips to help guide a teacher or school in making outreach decisions to increase parent engagement.

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10 Ways to Improve Family Engagement in Schools - ParentSquare

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Family engagement is essential for student success at school. When parents and guardians are involved in their child’s education, students have better academic outcomes, improved attendance, and higher graduation rates. However, it can be challenging to engage families with basic, one-way mass commu…

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The Girl Who Makes a Million Mistakes: A Growth Mindset Book for Kids to Boost Confidence, Self-Esteem and Resilience (A Million Mistakes Series)

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The Girl Who Makes a Million Mistakes: A Growth Mindset Book for Kids to Boost Confidence, Self-Esteem and Resilience (A Million Mistakes Series) [Li, Brenda] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Girl Who Makes a Million Mistakes: A Growth Mindset Book for Kids to Boost Confidence, Self-Esteem and Resilience (A Million Mistakes Series)

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Sharon Purtill (Author), Sujata Saha (Illustrator)

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It’s OK to be Different: A Children’s Picture Book About Diversity and Kindness

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It’s OK to be Different: A Children’s Picture Book About Diversity and Kindness [Purtill, Sharon, Saha, Sujata] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. It’s OK to be Different: A Children’s Picture Book About Diversity and Kindness

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What kids tell themselves matters ! It becomes their inner voice. It helps them connect to their power within.

Help your child learn to tap into their inner strength and resilience when challenges arise.

I Can Do Hard Things introduces children to the practice of using mindful affirmations for support and encouragement when they need it. It is a vivid and empowering book reflects the beautiful diversity in our world.

I Can Do Hard Things is a must-have for your home or school social-emotional library.

(Available in Spanish as Yo Puedo Hacer Cosas Difíciles ).

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I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids

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I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids [Garcia, Gabi, Russell, Charity] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids

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Counselor Chelsey | Simple School Counseling Ideas

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When I was in the 3rd grade, I failed my vision exam on purpose. I desperately wanted to get glasses because a lot of my friends had them. Looking back, it seems so silly that I did that, and I feel bad for making my parents pay for the glasses (sorry mom!). But, behind that intentionally failed vision exam was a desire to be included. I wanted so badly to be like everyone else, even if it meant wearing glasses that I didn't need.

I may have been one of the only kids I know to purposefully fail a vision exam, but I'm definitely not the only kid who hates being different. In fact, I'd say that nearly every child struggles, at one time or another, to embrace the things that make them unique.

Low self esteem is a common problem for kids, but my hope is that these 15 self esteem books will help your students feel confident and proud of who they are. They are great for individual, small group and classroom counseling lessons focused on building student self esteem and confidence.

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15 Self Esteem Books To Inspire Confidence In Students

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These self esteem books for kids will help elementary students gain confidence and learn to be proud of who they are. The books are perfect for individual, small group and classroom counseling sessions focused on building positive self esteem.

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Building COMMUNITY 💜 in the Classroom | Classroom Management 🍎

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Classroom Community Building Activities for Elementary Students | HMH

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Ready to help your kiddos develop meaningful relationships and connect with their classmates? Try these classroom community-building activities for elementary students.

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Strategies for ensuring that students in every grade feel like they’re part of the classroom community.

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School Involvement Matters

A partnership between teachers and families helps develop successful and well-rounded students. This partnership provides students with more opportunities to learn and grow from a larger range of viewpoints and life experiences. Through open communication and collaboration, parents and teachers create important opportunities for teens to develop social, emotional, and academic skills. School involvement makes a difference.

The Benefits of School-Family Partnerships

When teachers and families together to support student achievement, students earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, and enroll in higher level courses. This collaboration also fosters more motivated students. Young people maintain higher educational aims and lower rates of dropout. Students with parents have better attendance , complete more homework, and have higher enrollment in educational opportunities after high school. Parents can participate at school by helping with functions and activities, or communicating with teachers. They can also be involved at home in many ways, including guiding their children to manage homework and other commitments and engaging in discussions about values and attitudes regarding education.

It's About More Than Academics

A school-family partnership does more than enhance academic achievement. When parents and teachers work together, students report higher levels of motivation and self-esteem . Students also develop key social and emotional learning skills, such as self-awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making. Young people develop these skills when programs are coordinated across settings, including home and school. When families and educators work together, they reinforce the kind of behaviors and skills young people need to become successful adults.

The reality is that not all schools have the same resources. But the good news is that parental involvement makes a real difference in schools everywhere. We hope for a nation in which all young people have schools with the resources needed to educate and prepare youth. Whether your school has all it needs or deserves more, involved parents make a difference.

Roadblocks to School Involvement

There are many potential roadblocks for family engagement in schools. Common reasons include demanding work schedules that allow little time for volunteering, discomfort communicating with school officials due to cultural or language barriers, and difficulty with transportation or childcare. School budget cuts and stretched resources may leave teachers, counselors, and administrators less time to create effective systems for family involvement. But when parents are able to get involved, their participation can help schools make the most of existing resources. And there are many ways for parents to stay involved in their children's education that don't require a trip to the school!

Through open communication and collaboration, parents and teachers create important opportunities for teens to develop social, emotional, and academic skills.

Ways to Get Involved

Here are 11 suggestions for getting involved in your child's education.

1. Encourage reading. Helping your children develop a love of reading is the single most important thing you can do to help them succeed in school and in life. Show them the importance of lifelong learning by reading books on your own. Even better, read the same book with them. Taking it one step further, discuss the book together afterwards!

2. Attend school events. Go to games and concerts, student exhibitions, and award events that your teen and involved in. Your involvement in school-wide events, even when your tween or teen is not directly involved, helps build a community at large. You'll meet other members of the school community and show your support for ALL kids.

3. Learn about your rights. It's important to know what your rights are as a parent when it comes to special services such as English instruction, immigration status, individualized education plans, and more. Learn more in Your Rights as the Parent of a Public School Student .

Moving Forward

School involvement is a great way to build relationships with teachers and staff, meet other families in the neighborhood, and help the school community grow to meet the needs of the students. Creating effective school-community partnerships takes time, commitment, willingness, and trust. However, the pay-off is promising. Community involvement in schools is consistently seen as key to building high-achieving schools.

Above all, you want your children to know you are engaged in their education. Even if you don't have time to volunteer, you can help them learn when you're at home. The key question is, "What can I do at home, easily and in a few minutes a day, to reinforce what the school is doing?" This kind of involvement in what and how your teen is learning is crucial to support your children's success both in and out of school.

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11 Ways Parents Can Get Involved in Schools

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A partnership between teachers and families helps develop successful and well-rounded students. This partnership provides students with more opportunities to learn and grow from a larger range of viewpoints and life experiences. Through open communication and collaboration, parents and teachers create important opportunities for teens to develop social, emotional, and academic skills.

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Resources for Engaging Parents and Families | Common Sense Education

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Valuable tips, advice, and recommendations for families on issues related to kids’ digital lives.

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Teachers can facilitate a strong connection with families in order to provide students with deeper support, in and out of the classroom.

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Susan Verde (Author), John Parra (Illustrator)

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Amazon.com: Hey, Wall: A Story of Art and Community: 9781481453134: Verde, Susan, Parra, John: Books

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Susan Verde (Author), Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

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I Am We: A Book of Community (A Picture Book) (I Am Books)

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Sometimes we may wonder, But then we realize that the better we feel inside, the more we can be there for others—our friends, families, and communities. We are part of something bigger than ourselves, and when we each turn our goodness and compassion outward, we can create, learn, and l…

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Shannon Olsen (Author), Sandie Sonke (Illustrator)

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Our Class is a Family (The Classroom Community Collection)

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Our Class is a Family (The Classroom Community Collection) [Olsen, Shannon, Sonke, Sandie] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Our Class is a Family (The Classroom Community Collection)