Build Strong Classroom Relationships: 4 Bond-Worthy Lit Books
Wow! Is it really almost that time of the year again?
For many teachers around the world like you, back to school is right around the corner or has currently resumed.
Each year is a complete fresh start of going back to school. Meet the Teachers, creating or polishing your classroom environment; and for all intent and purpose back to school ready for those all your eager students excited to see what the new school year brings. Here you will be introduced to four bond-worthy literature books to build your classroom relationships.
According to Baker and Moss (1993), there is no better way to build school community than through reading.
1. Classroom Community
Kicking off this brand new school would absolutely not be right without some exceptional back to school literature. Not just mean any kind of literature, but literature that speaks to you and your students.
The first months of school are important in helping you build relationships with your students.
You have to set the tone for what this school year will be like while building a bond. Noting speaks more clearer and heart-felt than awesome literature along with great book companions to engage your students.
You are in a time where self-care is everything and social-emotional learning has become the mantra for how your classroom and your students will learn, grow, and flourish.
Your literature the first week of school has to speak to your students to make it the best school experience ever. A school year forged by a strong classroom community bond. You must plan what kind of literature you will integrate literature into your lesson plan and how it will be relevant to your students. Using well-designed literature response sheets added to your lesson plan can help you better understand your students.
2. Community Building
Four community building literature books to introduce or reintroduce this school year includes:
· Our Class Is A Family by Shannon Olsen
· A Letter From Your Teacher by Shannon Olsen
· All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
· How To Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan
Our Class Is A Family is the perfect book for establishing the classroom community and what that will look like in your class. It touches on how students become family to each other and how that bond is created through their shared experiences at school. Book Companion activities can also help students understand the meaning of a class family.
A Letter From Your Teacher gives class family vibes in the same spirit of the author, Shannon Olsen’s first book. This keeper really sets the tone for forging a class family with the teacher leading the way.
All Are Welcome conveys to students that the classroom is a family for all students who enter. It demonstrates to students that despite the difference among them everyone is welcome into the class family for who they truly are and may one day become.
How To Get Your Teacher Ready is a humorous yet realistic play on the emotions that the first day of school can bring. It is about showing up as the best part of yourself and becoming a part of the class family.
Each of these literature books does a fantastic job of embracing the theme of community building and how the classroom and the students within it can grow into becoming a family.
Final Thoughts
Of course, there are a wide-range of literature books out there that we can use for back to school. Another wonderful book to introduce or reintroduce to your class is The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson.
Be sure to check out other Back To School literature suggestions to add to your classroom library and book companions to enhance your read alouds.
Just know that each school year is not be like any other. It is a time to be intentional and purposeful with the new students in your classroom.
Literature is a small part of journey, but it is a mighty powerful treasured resource that can speak to our students heart and minds. Have a great school year!
Get started with building classroom community with these free Literature Response Sheets.
Tips To Try:
You can use literature as a powerful tool to build strong, supportive relationships within the classroom.
1. Choose Diverse and Inclusive Literature
- Representation Matters: Select books that represent a wide range of cultures, experiences, and perspectives. This helps students see themselves and others in the stories they read, fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging.
- Empathy Building: Books that deal with different life experiences and challenges can help students develop empathy and understanding for their peers.
2. Facilitate Open and Respectful Discussions
- Create a Safe Space: Encourage open discussions about the themes and issues presented in the literature. Establish ground rules for respectful listening and speaking, ensuring all students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions.
- Connect to Personal Experiences: Invite students to make connections between the book’s content and their own lives. This can help them see the relevance of the stories and foster deeper, more personal connections with their classmates.
3. Use Literature for Collaborative Activities
- Group Projects: Organize group activities based on the books, such as creating posters, dramatizing scenes, or conducting group discussions. These activities encourage collaboration and teamwork, helping students build relationships with one another.
- Book Clubs or Literature Circles: Create small groups where students can discuss a book in depth. This can lead to more intimate and meaningful conversations, allowing students to connect over shared ideas and interpretations.