Through my years as a teacher I’ve felt that some of the classes I taught were a bit more positive than others. I then became aware of actively trying to create a more positive atmosphere. Just by doing small things to change the vibe in a class can make a huge difference.
1. Snaps for Johnny! – One really fun way of creating a positive atmosphere is to have students write anonymous snippets about one another. Then the teacher can read them out. After a child gets a positive comment, you can say “Snaps for Johnny” (or whatever the name of the child is) and everyone can snap together. Make sure to write a few more positive comments yourself, just in case a child doesn’t get any.
2. Acknowledge and respect different cultures A- Instead of ignoring people’s differences, embrace them. Allow students some time to talk about their own culture, customs, and family traditions. Students will be so excited to share a bit about their lives with their classmates.
3. Create Classroom rules together – The easiest and best way for students to follow classroom rules is for them to help create the rules. This helps them to have ownership and helps them to feel like they are part of the class.
