I create a sense of community when heading back to school by…

By building and creating team building resources that principals and team leaders can use with staff. I love finding fun things that staff members can do together to learn more about each other and build relationships!

https://www.bulbapp.com/u/team-building-ice-breakers

This is an amazing resource of ice breaker games!! Thanks for sharing! :)

Nancy,

Thank you for sharing the icebreaker resources! I’m excited to incorporate these games into our new teacher in-services. They’ll be a fantastic way to help everyone connect and kick off our training time on a positive note.

I like to make sure that the new staff members feel welcome. It’s a new and scary time for new staff. They don’t know the “unwritten rules” and haven’t had a chance to mesh with the rest of the staff. Just saying “Hi” goes a long way.

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by spending time affirming school staff and encouraging them.

Back to school can be very exciting, but it’s often a stressful time for most of us. It’s important to stop when we ask “how are you doing?” and actually listen to how they respond. I find that when I pause and engage with an educator, student, or parent about their response to that question, it shows them that they are cared for.

it’s an easy way to build connection and as a coach I often follow up with, “How can I help you?” Sometimes I’m told thank you for listening, other times I end up running copies or cutting lamination or ordering a coffee for a colleague.

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by…Creating a welcoming culture for all teachers new to our district. This year, our new teacher orientation is called Welcome Home Conference. I help lead this conference and it’s a great way to build culture, connection, and community. 🏠

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by intentionally providing time to build relationships. It's so easy to rush in to the work but slowing down to get to know one another is key. Practically this looks like facilitating ice breakers and team building activities, establishing who we are as a team and why we exist, creating norms, and providing opportunities to build trust. This strategy is both applicable from a district team and classroom setting. Commit to building this time into your agenda and plans not only at the beginning of the year but throughout the course of the year and watch your community flourish.

If you are looking for a place to start, check out these ice breakers curated by Coppell ISD Professional Learning, Nancy Garvey! She has put together some incredible ice breaker kits for our campuses!

I create a sense of community by warmly welcoming new teachers and supporting them from day one, ensuring they feel valued in our district. As the district technology integration specialist, I lead their initial training with MacBooks and iPads, blending tech skills with a culture of collaboration and connection. This approach fosters a united, innovative, and inclusive school community that continues throughout the year with our quarterly new teacher training.

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by offering to help (where I can) in room setup.

I create a sense of community with our teachers making sure to invite new teachers to join me for lunch or for a walking break during our back to school days!

With students, I create a sense of community by starting the first few days with conversation starters, like the cube rule of food, before we get into the lesson.

To help build community with staff, I 3-D print planters in the shape of our building and use spider plants in them. Easy to make and fun to see them grow through the year.

To help build community in my classroom, I have students make name plates with cardboard, markers, and Legos. Students engineer a unique name stand for class. 

McCormick Middle School planter

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by creating space for new faculty to share their experiences, questions, and expertise with one another. I facilitate a new faculty coaching circle for 1st and 2nd-year faculty in our college to get to know each other, set goals for the year, and share their expertise with one another.

For my online graduate students, I work to create a sense of community by encouraging them to engage with one another as a cohort beyond our online class space. GroupMe, Slack, and LinkedIn are all places that adult learners can continue their professional growth and build a broader professional network where they feel a sense of belonging.

I encourage our teachers to create a sense of community in their classrooms by digging in to some "Tools for Learning" or Accessibility features that all learners can benefit from! It's a great way to help each student get their iPad set up to meet their needs and build the culture that these tools are universal! I always recommend starting with tools that specifically target print access-Speak Screen, Speak Selection, Prediction (paired with Hold to Speak Predictions), Dictation, Look Up/Define, Safari Reader and Live Text. Attached is a simple Numbers doc that walks students through the Print Access features. Also check out Melissa's Piette's resource Apple Book: Access for All: Immersive Experience in Accessible Design.

Attachments

STUDENTS iPad and Print Access.numbers

Download  (32.9 MB)

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by…

building relationships. Get to know you activities like Keynote BINGO(iPad). The BINGO file has photo placeholders that the students/participants use to insert pictures(by taping the + and selecting "Take Photo"). They also tap where it says "Name" and type the name of the person to connect the name with the fact and the photo.

Through the BINGO activity, connections are made, trust starts, and a foundation is started for future collaborations.

Creates Connection: Shared experiences, interests, or values provide a foundation for connection. When people realize they have something in common, it fosters a sense of belonging and understanding.

Builds Trust: Discovering shared experiences can increase trust and rapport. People are more likely to open up and be vulnerable with someone they feel connected to.

Facilitates Communication: Commonalities provide a starting point for conversations and can help break down barriers. It's easier to communicate and share ideas when you feel a sense of shared understanding.

Enhances Cooperation: When people feel connected through shared goals or interests, they are more likely to collaborate and work together effectively.

The Welcome Back BINGO Keynote file is attached. It can be shared with students through Apple Classroom or AirDropped to students.

We have used this for building community in professional learning groups as well. We send a survey before the meeting with a question that asks for an interesting or little known fact. We use those facts on the board and they look for the people with those facts.

Attachments

*Welcome Back Bingo*.key

Download  (280.7 KB)

I create a sense of community when heading back to school by authentically engaging with teachers and students. A friendly smile, genuine interest in conversation, and showing excitement for the upcoming semester are simple yet powerful ways to build community.

The first task of my office is iPad handout to incoming freshman. We disperse the iPad and help them with setup and login. We feel like Oprah saying “You get an iPad! You get an iPad!” It’s an awesome week of service and the first time I see many of my students. (We will meet again in the classroom!) Many other faculty volunteer their time to help with iPad handout, and we are all reminded of how important it is to start the semester off right and let the love of our job and students shine through.