Smiles and Positives: Creating a Positive Small Group Atmosphere at the Middle School Level

Heather Zimmerman contributed today's post. More of Heather's posts about small group intervention at middle school (using comprehension focus groups) can be found here.

I had a student who was recently added to my literacy skills class.  I felt bad because he lost his elective course when he was put in this class.  But he still came in with a shy smile and said he was excited to join our group.  I smiled at his happiness that he was looking forward to joining the class. That is such a warming feeling.  

I spent the first month of September establishing routines and working hard to get to know my students.  I find it extremely important that (especially) with a small group intervention that students feel safe and comfortable within our learning environment.  Middle school is already a trying time, and I want to make sure my students feel welcome in my room.

Last week was his first day and I re-established our classroom expectations, and I flooded with tickets (PBIS).  I could sense a little uneasiness when he joined our Comprehension Focus Group. Not because of anything he was doing, but because someone new was inside our circle.  The students were not sure if they had to impress him or not.  I would make a comment about how this is middle school, but I think this is a pretty typical behavior of all humans when change occurs.  I will continue for about a week to flood with tickets, so students can continue to be reminded with of our classroom expectations, and also work on building a relationship with him, so he too feels welcome in our group.

Here are some ways I built positive rapport with my students these first few months:

• Clearly posted expectations that were reviewed more than once.
• Flooding of tickets when needed to reinforce these positive behaviors.
• When I built routines I did not try to do too many things at once.  Yes, I wanted to jump in and assess my students.  Yes, I wanted to start to conference with my students.  Yes, I knew that was not the time.  I modeled what silent reading looked like by reading with them.  I flooded tickets and gave positive remarks to the expected behaviors.  Once I saw they could handle this on their own, then I could do other things such as conference with them.
• I started a birthday club.  I know it is middle school, but who does not like when their birthday is recognized?  Since I have such a small amount of students, when it is their birthday month they can choose with their other birthday-month buddies a treat, and I bring it in to celebrate.
• I make sure to meet them at the door with a smile on my face and acknowledge each of them.  At the beginning of the year, I made sure it was every day.  Now there might be a reason it does not happen every day, but for the most part it is.  
• I greet them at the beginning of the hour and go over clear expectations and goals for the day.  Routine is important.
• I am very clear with them about why I do each part of the intervention.  They know what phase we are in and why we do it.  They know why I have a mentor text and why we read three texts in phase one.  I think it is important for them to know that everything we do has a purpose.
• I also have them be a part of the routines.  Someone waters my plant (because they know I will kill it otherwise), someone passes out our folders and notebooks, and someone flips the sheet to a “A” day or a “B” day (because they know I always forget.)  They appreciate being a part of the group.

I believe we need to do what works best for us.  But I know that even when the days get long or tough, it is still important to give 100% to building a positive classroom environment to have a successful learning environment.  I know we as educators have tons of amazing things we do every day!  What things do you do in your classroom to help build a positive classroom environment?