Classroom Culture Ideas by Ms. Kittay

Instructions

MsKittay — 2025-04-09 18:35:21 UTC

Please share your ideas and strategies for building positive classroom culture throughout the school year:

Morning Meetings : Ideas for connecting with students and fostering student-to-student relationships through morning meetings.
Classroom Jobs : Strategies for giving students ownership and responsibility over their learning space through class jobs.
Student Representation : Share ways that you have your students feel seen, heard, and valued in the classroom.

Have a morning meeting every Monday and Friday when curriculum becomes main focus. Check in on weekends (students love when you remember things about them)

2025-06-03 15:13:11 UTC

Advisory

2025-06-03 15:13:26 UTC

In a high school classroom, I feel like I could use some of these strategies for my advisory students. It could be a great connector for the students who may not know each other.

I am also challenged to incorporate some of these ideas in my regular classroom to help students make connections with each other.

This is GOLD

2025-06-03 15:14:01 UTC

Even secondary students need a few minutes of Morning Meeting. I need to help them have a focus moment before the lesson starts.

Mastery Star Wall

2025-06-03 15:14:09 UTC

As students take Progress Checks for Learning and master our standards, we put their name and which module/topic on the star and put the star on a wall. Eventually, the stars cover the wall, and the students get really excited when they finally receive a star.

Have certain days be the same each week

higginbothe1 — 2025-06-03 15:14:19 UTC

Students get used to it and even prepare for something to share, and are really excited to share. It makes it more predictable for them as well as they get used to the routine. We did things like

Monday (Pit and Peek of Weekend)

Tuesday (I want to tell the class...)

Thursday (I am thankful for...)

I want to start holding morning meetings in pull-out services. I think building a classroom family is extremely important and I want my QUEST kids to feel that we are a family and they can come to one another at any time for support.

2025-06-03 15:15:39 UTC

Inventory Manager

2025-06-03 15:30:02 UTC

This student or these students could make sure all supplies get back where they're supposed to go after a lesson or activity.

I would love to begin a classroom job...Social Media Liason or Influencer. I want a student to tell our story....focusing on the growth that takes place and the students would create the hashtag for the day! It would be an inside joke that only we knew about. :)

2025-06-03 15:41:35 UTC

These are the basic that I have

higginbothe1 — 2025-06-03 15:43:14 UTC

Greeter (door)

Librarian (keep classroom library or book clubs)

Electrician (lights and doors)

Tour Guide (line leader)

Inventory Manager (supplies)

Tech Support (computer cart and chargers)

Food Runner (lunch cart)

I do warm ups that are get to know yous and then a Hero of the Day that is as related to the lesson as possible. Later I do a "Superhero March Madness" where I see students bond and practically campaign to get the other students to vote for their favorites.

2025-06-03 16:26:13 UTC

Librarian

2025-06-03 16:43:49 UTC

This job for students supported our classroom by making sure that all students were able to easily find the books they needed while also providing an opportunity for the librarian (student) to become well knowledged in genre, level, topic, etc. to assist their peers.

Shout-Out

2025-06-03 16:53:34 UTC

In Kinder, making sure that student names are on display with their pictures. So that students can use names, and even if they express through pictures they can highlight their peers by name. Or making sure that students can verbally shout each other out.

The Fridge

2025-06-03 16:54:05 UTC

A bulletin board that has class pictures, family pictures, student art and work that they're proud of, etc on display on the wall by the door!

Creed

2025-07-15 15:00:23 UTC

I love the idea of having a classroom creed! As a DLC, I would love to be able to also reiterate the class creed when I am in classrooms. This is such a great way for support staff to build connections when coming into the classroom.

Create a routine for students so that they can start leading morning meeting themselves or when I am not there!

2025-07-15 15:00:26 UTC

Schedule for Morning Mtgs:

2025-07-15 15:01:09 UTC

Creating a schedule that is consistent all year long for students to know how morning meetings work in our classroom. I love implementing having students repeat the Classroom Creed.

I love the idea of a morning meeting and also a mid day meeting when needed. Having a connection question like ¨where are we at emotionally¨ right now. Do you need anything from me or do you need a moment to reflect/problem solve? This was really helpful after recess.

2025-07-15 15:01:24 UTC

Daily Jobs

2025-07-15 15:01:39 UTC

Even though I teach Pre-K, giving all students opportunities to have jobs has really created a sense of pride and belonging in our classroom.

I love the idea of having so many option ideas for a class meeting.

2025-07-15 15:01:59 UTC

Jobs

2025-07-15 15:02:44 UTC

I have close to 18 jobs from botanist (feed class ivy plant), door holders (2), line leader, weather person, and caboose.

Classroom Creed

2025-07-15 15:02:44 UTC

I love the idea of the classroom creed and including affirmations for the kids to recite daily! I think that it helps the students see the classroom as a whole community and have common goals to work towards.

Secretary (Attendance reminder)

2025-07-15 15:13:54 UTC

Family Engagement with Jobs

2025-07-15 15:13:58 UTC

I was inspired by Maddie when in the classroom and did interviews and jobs for my kindergarten students. We told families about this and it ended up being a great home connection! Students came with resumes, professionally dressed, and had so much fun with their jobs.

Application and Interview Process

2025-07-15 15:14:37 UTC

I love the idea of having in person interviews. I struggle to bring myself to actually watch the seesaw applications (hehe oops)!!!

Daily Jobs cont.

2025-07-15 15:17:57 UTC

I love the idea of using the correct terminology for each job as a learning opportunity.

Love the procedure & plan. I can't wait to implement it daily and especially the creed.

lagusisa — 2025-07-15 16:28:08 UTC

A couple of times a week, I like to incorporate one of the lessons from the character trait for the month to begin the day focusing on how we each can model. I really like the idea of beginning with a greeting and the affirmation. I really like the structure that was shared, especially for the first days of school and the last, when we are looking for more resources to engage them.

2025-07-15 16:30:57 UTC

For Functional Academics or other centralized programs, you can use visuals from Star Autism or ULS to allow non speaking students to participate.

2026-06-02 18:28:04 UTC

For morning meeting, I like to pass around a talking stick and have the students do a share question. They will also use nonverbal cues for certain things like "me too" or "same" or something that shows they have a connection to the topic.

2026-06-02 18:28:36 UTC

Linking Jobs to Morning Meetings

2026-06-02 18:29:10 UTC

Later in the year once my students knew our classroom affirmations/creed I made a 'Motivational Speaker' job title where that student was in charge of leading the class for that day

For Centralized Classes

2026-06-02 18:29:15 UTC

Use visuals to help nonverbal students, allow them to use AAC devices if they have the ability, have class sets of paddles for like/dislike

In WL we kind of do something similar to this. The students get an SEL question and an answer stem, they write their answer down and then they share with their shoulder partner. They may have to share with three other students, depending on time constraints.

2026-06-02 18:29:23 UTC

2026-06-02 18:29:33 UTC

Let students choose their seat in the circle, but with a catch. They have to sit next to a different person everyday.

Talking Stick

2026-06-02 18:29:47 UTC

I love passing a talking stick around during morning meetings! Tapple is also a fun game to play with students. If you do not have the game, you can write A-Z on post its!

In our FA classroom, we had a "Daily Affirmation". I had the kids help come up with it, and they would not continue until they had all said it.

2026-06-02 18:30:41 UTC

Class Bank

2026-06-02 18:37:33 UTC

Class Bank is great to keep up with class jobs and pay students. Makes students apply for jobs. Works a little like dojo without the parent communication.

Taxes for Class Money

2026-06-02 18:41:23 UTC

I have a teacher who taxes her classes to teach them that we have to pay them. This allows her to get her currency back that some kids might be hoarding and not spending. This would allow her to not run out of currency for her class.

In our FA classroom in middle school, We created an actual coffee company that the kids ran. Teachers would sign up and pay for a daily morning coffee, which funded our program. We invested in, or took donations of Keurig machines, cups and coffee pods. The kids made and delivered the coffee daily. They helped with budgeting and purchasing. It was perfect because it was real world experience.

2026-06-02 18:44:13 UTC

2026-06-02 18:49:55 UTC

Let students pick what work to publish and display on Wow Work board

2026-06-02 18:59:05 UTC

Students could have fines or bills for real-world expenses, I.e. Bills for supplies or rent

Beginning of Week

2026-06-02 19:45:21 UTC

At the beginning of the week, I always have the students share a sunshine/cloud about their weekend/holiday break/long weekend, etc.

Student Answering Machine

2026-06-02 19:56:33 UTC

"You've reached Mr. Ryder's Room, Mr. Ryder is busy right now, can I take a message?"

bakerw1 — 2026-06-02 20:25:54 UTC

The Activity during MM that we did - "Link Up" I believe is what it was called where the teacher first shares something about themselves and then we had to think of a connect to what she shared and link up to her, one-by-one. Loved it and I could use it in my SEL lessons.