Relationships & Community by Gabriela Alvarado

Poster

2025-09-19 16:23:27 UTC

Reminders and student work in poster form around the classroom

English

2025-09-19 16:23:41 UTC

I use a free write and note-taking notebook that students use for their handwritten work. The bookshelf is next to the door, and when students enter they see a little animated pencil on the slides that tells them they need their notebooks and pencils on that day.

Outline/ process for each part of the assignment! (Always on board or as a checklist)

2025-09-19 16:23:58 UTC

megancook5 — 2025-09-19 16:23:59 UTC

Quick check-ins in the hallways (intentionally in front of their siblings or friends) affirming or complimenting something they did or wrote in class.

Would you rather

sarahblair2 — 2025-09-19 16:24:23 UTC

I find middle schoolers love a "Would you rather question."

I add them to my Do Now and review if we have time.

Student Work

feliciawalker2 — 2025-09-19 16:24:29 UTC

Posting student work

2025-09-19 16:24:36 UTC

Student work and expectations

History

2025-09-19 16:24:36 UTC

Put a lot of maps, and cool posters that are related to what you will be teaching throughout the year. Also, student projects.

2025-09-19 16:24:55 UTC

Students use a red pen and homework answers on Echo to check their homework from the previous day at the beginning of class, then we go over 1-2 problems that were challenging.

I have a few objects that I think are fun and interesting for students to look at when they are zoning out. Bobbleheads...Star Wars...Sports...looking for some interesting art pieces.

2025-09-19 16:24:55 UTC

Student Work

2025-09-19 16:25:01 UTC

Posting student work

sarahblair2 — 2025-09-19 16:25:07 UTC

When I am not deescalated enough to have the check in myself.

When this happens, I ask another adult to be present for the restorative.

Student Work boards

2025-09-19 16:25:16 UTC

I have three display areas for student work in my classroom. One for present work (ie. the last unit), one for past work (previous units and, at the beginning of the year, last year's projects so the room isn't sad and boring), and one just for Advisory

2025-09-19 16:25:30 UTC

Have it printed out on a table so they can visually see it on paper

I mention that I see how hard they are working.

2025-09-19 16:25:46 UTC

megancook5 — 2025-09-19 16:25:56 UTC

Seating chart on the projector every single day when they enter, even if seats have not changed.

Celebrations: can be certificates from lexia and celebrate students for completing (End of class award ceremony) and then sending home to parents on ParentSquare (positive relationship and reinforcement for hard work!) Lexia does all the work for you!

2025-09-19 16:25:58 UTC

2025-09-19 16:26:01 UTC

Letting their families know (at the beginning of the year I ask students who I should contact with good news)

2025-09-19 16:26:03 UTC

I roll a dice with students name on it and make them share a niche interest

Anchor Charts

sarahblair2 — 2025-09-19 16:26:03 UTC

Anchor charts with vocab / diagrams present around the room for each unit fo students to reference.

History

2025-09-19 16:26:15 UTC

A do now warm-up every morning that they have to answer in their notebooks. Usually, these are moral and higher-thinking questions. This is especially important for middle schoolers because they are at the age where they are moving from concrete to abstract thinking.

mfitts3 — 2025-09-19 16:26:29 UTC

Scientists and Engineers like me. Students make poster about a scientist or engineer that share a part of their identity

Too close to other students

2025-09-19 16:26:39 UTC

I had a check-in once in the hallway with a student about their behavior and how I could support them WAY too close to the door. The nearest student in the classroom starting eavesdropping and it made the student with whom I was checking in feel uncomfortable. It really defeated the purpose of stepping out, so now we go further out!

Modify Work

2025-09-19 16:26:42 UTC

I allow students to take a visual concept we are exploring and present it in a way that is more individually expressive

2025-09-19 16:26:48 UTC

I have an engagement tracker with piggy banks that fits into my monopoly theme

Celebrations: can be certificates from lexia and celebrate students for completing (End of class award ceremony) and then sending home to parents on ParentSquare (positive relationship and reinforcement for hard work!) Lexia does all the work for you!

2025-09-19 16:26:49 UTC

megancook5 — 2025-09-19 16:26:51 UTC

Four Square Debates to start the trimester and discuss their opinions on key ideas/themes that will come up in the trimester.

2025-09-19 16:27:13 UTC

Simple things like a private compliment (e.g. "you solved that one correctly all by yourself!") and a fist bump go a long way for a lot of kids.

History

2025-09-19 16:27:14 UTC

Affirm them and give them a bigger classroom role, something that is related to leadership.

2025-09-19 16:27:23 UTC

I allow students to make announcements about clubs

Sharing their thinking

finneganbutler1 — 2025-09-19 16:27:24 UTC

Instead of sharing in front of the whole class, have them explain their thinking to you one-on-one, then restate for the whole class making sure to credit who said that.

In general, give credit when restating student ideas

2025-09-19 16:27:24 UTC

Warm up as they enter.

Stand and Talks. Ind thinking followed by pair/share where they get to stand and walk across the room. Students choose.

Cool Downs. Exit ticket.

mfitts3 — 2025-09-19 16:27:25 UTC

Science stickers!

Student Choice: Choose topics on writing assignments

2025-09-19 16:27:30 UTC

feliciawalker2 — 2025-09-19 16:27:51 UTC

I have a do now every day in class. The Do Nows are asking students thoughts on either what we learned from the previous class or what we are about to learn.

History

2025-09-19 16:28:11 UTC

Giving them choices when it comes to their work. Universal Design Learning (UDL) models.

megancook5 — 2025-09-19 16:28:12 UTC

Advisory baby photos!

Rapport

2025-09-19 16:28:17 UTC

Sometimes you think you have rapport with a student and you don't.

Celebrating Small Wins

2025-09-19 16:28:18 UTC

Making short-term goals that scaffold a student's success (ex: personalized checklists, personal reminder emails)

Turn-in

finneganbutler1 — 2025-09-19 16:28:29 UTC

Students have a specific folder that lives in the classroom where they turn in all their assignments

Quick shout-outs in class

2025-09-19 16:28:35 UTC

I love to do quick happy shout-outs for students modeling awesome behavior. For example, in a Film discussion, a student really smoothly connected their idea to a past comment, showing they were actively listening. I immediately shouted them out with "I love how you found connections between your thoughts and [other student's] comment!"

2025-09-19 16:29:06 UTC

Ringing a annoying bell, so I don't have to raise my voice

Document Camera

2025-09-19 16:29:17 UTC

I hope to start utilizing a document camera to make my instruction clearer.

mfitts3 — 2025-09-19 16:29:40 UTC

Group roles based on where the student is sitting at the table. I can use these for identifying student who are sharing out for the group, getting materials, starting group documents.

One Pagers and other visual assignments

2025-09-19 16:29:42 UTC

I love to do one pagers with an optional art component. Students who are a whiz at Canva make sleek designs while others who love art make little comics or illustrations

Direct model of expectations for work: ie what a 3 paragraph response looks like, a final visual of a project

2025-09-19 16:30:59 UTC

2025-09-19 16:31:18 UTC

Having a private conversation with them in the hallway is a 50/50 hit

Differences

2025-09-19 16:31:29 UTC

I encourage them to see each other's differences as a positive way to connect with each other and appreciate that we all bring something different based on our culture and life experience.

When students just don't want to check in

2025-09-19 16:31:34 UTC

I've had students before that become escalated when you check in with them - sometimes the constant "checking" in can be overwhelming for those that constantly feel like eyes are always watching them.

Writing Names on the Board

2025-09-19 16:32:08 UTC

What started accidentally, just wanting to keep a list of who to shout out, showed me how much it means to students to see their names on the focused and participating list. I now use it every class period and often follow up with shoutouts, and emails to parents.

anchor charts

2025-09-19 16:32:13 UTC

Help students strengthen their foundational skills so they can stay focused and confident while learning and practicing new concepts

2025-09-19 16:36:19 UTC

for my 3d design and robotics class i have visuals all around the classroom. past student projects, personal projects, 3d printers constantly running. for my APCSP classes visuals are more digitals. and on the slide decks i think I could do more to maybe involve gifs of code running