Every year, at the beginning of school, something magical happens – a new community is formed. This is a place where students feel accepted and supported by their fellow students and teachers. 

There are few things more critical to the new student than this, as several studies have shown those who feel welcome and accepted in a classroom tend to be more academically successful. 

How do you do it when you are not in a physical class? There are several ways to do this, and below we will look at a few of the ways to build classroom community during distance learning situations. 

What Exactly Is A Classroom Community?

Classroom community is such a broad term, and if one doesn’t understand what exactly it is, they may come up short when planning on how to execute it. A classroom community results from the students and teacher working together to meet their common goal, which is learning, of course. 

This can be the physical presence in the room and the interaction between the students themselves or with the teacher. It takes some planning, especially when looking at a distance learning classroom.

Benefits Of A Classroom Community

There are many benefits the educator will see when they concentrate on building a good classroom community. The first is giving those students a sense of belonging. By creating this, you will fill those needs as the student benefits from the community. 

You will also find ways for all the students to be included in the class and activities. A positive classroom community will allow the student to form positive relationships. A good classroom community will also teach the students the social skills they will need in life. 

Difficulties You May Experience

Typically, many of these communications and connections are built in a traditional classroom setting or through interactions during breaks and at lunch. It can also be done through class activities, but with distance learning, physical interaction is taken away. 

This means that when creating a classroom community, it is even more on the educator’s shoulders to foster the development of these social skills. You will be fighting distractions at home and even technical difficulties, but there are ways to build a virtual classroom community. 

Ways To Build A Virtual Classroom Community

There are easy and straightforward ways to get your online classroom ready to create a community.

Fun & Friendly Digital Classroom

When you set up your work area, make sure it is quiet and give the background a fun makeover. 

Get To Know Me

You can help the class get to know each other by adding a “get to know me” exercise to the curriculum. 

Morning Meetings

Take time to have your morning meetings to go over what you will be doing that day. This creates a routine and will help them feel secure. 

SEL Skills

It isn’t all about the curriculum. There should be an emphasis on social-emotional learning. Distance learning is difficult, but making sure to attend to the students’ social and emotional needs will help foster a good classroom community. 

Concluding Thoughts

There are many ways to create a classroom community when looking at distance learning. The above methods are just a few, and we hope they have helped you a little in planning your next school year.