Student Well-Being Video

Teachers, Try This: Activities to Build Classroom Culture and Connection

By Kaylee Domzalski & Jaclyn Borowski — February 11, 2025 2:21
Student James Mason participates in an ice breaker during a film studies class at Weber High School taught by teacher, Mark Daniels, on Jan. 13, 2025 in Pleasant View, Utah. Daniels incorporates a lot of movement with students during all of his classes.

For Mark Daniels, the theatre teacher at Weber High School in Pleasant View, Utah, some movement happens organically in his classes. But Daniels also teaches the school’s cinema class where, he says, students hope to sit and watch a movie.

However, Daniels structures his classes so that students never sit for more than 20 minutes. Through games and different activities, he gets kids moving, and uses those same movement activities to build connections and create a positive classroom culture.

Here, he explains how he does it, and how any teacher, regardless of grade or subject, can implement something similar.

Kaylee Domzalski is a video producer for Education Week.
Jaclyn Borowski is the director of photography and videography for Education Week.

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