During my 57 years as an educator, I have unearthed many truths, but none as profound as the transformative power of intentional community building within the classroom. An uplifting learning community is a tapestry woven from the delicate threads of human connection.
Research has long illuminated the significance of a positive classroom climate in fostering deep and meaningful learning. In 2012, researcher John Hattie underscored this truth, identifying the classroom environment as a pivotal element in academic success. In his ranking of over 150 variables in student outcomes, the relationship between teacher and student stood as the 12th most significant factor. A warm, compassionate, and respectful classroom is not merely an advantageous backdrop for learning—it is a prerequisite for intellectual and emotional growth.
Expert educators do not simply instruct; they cultivate an atmosphere where errors are welcomed, where vulnerability is embraced, and where curiosity is nurtured. The teacher-student bond, along with the dynamic among students themselves, is the foundation upon which the edifice of meaningful education stands.
Early in my career, I learned that students must be afforded a moment of transition—an opportunity to gently shed their burdens before immersing themselves in the world of learning. This ritual allowed students to be fully present. However, it wasn’t until years later that I fully grasped the transformative potential of extending this practice beyond a mere routine into a deeply intentional and sustained process.
As I devoted more energy to fostering trust and cultivating a genuine sense of belonging, I saw a remarkable shift in my classroom atmosphere. Students became more engaged, more receptive, and—most strikingly—more attuned to one another’s experiences.
With time and deliberate effort, community building became a cherished cornerstone of my pedagogy. Later, as a professor of graduate and teacher education, I extended this work by beginning each class session with 20 to 30 minutes dedicated solely to community building. Students who felt safe, supported, and connected became more courageous in their academic pursuits. They engaged in discussions with newfound openness, approached challenges with resilience, and, most importantly, learned to celebrate one another.
This revelation—already powerful when I was a classroom teacher—holds even greater significance now that I teach aspiring educators themselves. What a gift it is to impart not only knowledge but a blueprint to carry into their own future classrooms to create a culture of belonging.
Here are a few cherished community-building activities to fostering inclusive and compassionate learning spaces at any age:
- Honoring Our Roots. Members of the class are invited to share the name of an ancestor who has influenced them and the legacy they left behind.
- The Story of a Name. Students explain the history of their names. Does it carry a special meaning?
- Cultural Crossover. Standing in a circle, each person completes the phrase, “In my culture, we value … and we always …” before stepping forward. Others who resonate with the statement follow, physically representing shared values and experiences.
- Come, My Neighbor. Standing in a circle, a participant states, “Come, my neighbor if you …” (e.g., were born outside the United States), prompting those who relate to cross the circle and stand beside them. This continues, fostering a dynamic web of connection.
- Leaving Baggage at the Door. Students name a personal burden they are setting aside to be fully present.
- Imaginary Check-In. Each participant names a place they wish they could be at that moment, allowing the group to journey together through imagination.
- Safe, Seen, and Loved. Each participant shares moments in which they have felt safe, truly seen, and deeply loved.
- Animal Reflection. Students are invited to identify and share the animal that best represents them.
- I Used to Think … Now I Think … Students reflect on their personal growth and evolving perspectives.
- Pro and Con Debate. Pairs of participants explore multiple viewpoints on a given topic, reinforcing the complexity of thought and discussion.
- Keep on Truckin’. Students reflect on personal perseverance—what fuels them to keep moving forward despite challenges.
- Birds of a Feather. Participants identify similarities and differences with other students, fostering deeper understanding and collaboration.
Here’s one memorable example from earlier this year:
In the fifth week of a teacher-training class, we engaged in the Come, My Neighbor activity. One curious student called out, “Come my neighbor, if you are a twin.” Two others crossed the room to join her, their steps echoing a shared experience.
The following week, as we engaged in the History of Names exercise, a delicate thread of memory wove itself through our conversation. One of the twin students recalled the moment of connection from the week before and spoke of the unique challenge their parents faced in naming them. The other twins in the class chimed in with their own stories of shared identities, mirrored lives, and the quiet complexities of being one half of a whole. The classroom, once a simple space of learning, transformed into a sanctuary of understanding, where laughter, reflection, and mutual support intertwined effortlessly.
In every classroom, in every gathering of minds and hearts, there lies the opportunity to build something sacred—a community where trust is the cornerstone, vulnerability is honored, and learning is a shared journey. If we, as educators, embrace this calling with intention and love, we do not merely teach. We transform.
