StepIntotheCircle!

ReConnectingYourClassroom
CommunityThroughPlay

Tiffany M. Jewell
tiffanymjewell@gmail.com

Below, find an example of how to share your community building work with
parents and the school community:
_____________________________________________________________________

BuildingCommunityintheLowerElementaryCommunity
December,2015
TiffanyJewell

Wetraversedacrossapitofsmolderinghotlava,sharedimportantinformationaboutourselves,dancedin
themiddleofafield,andsolvedproblemsbigandsmall.Although,thesearetypicaloccurrencesinour
LowerElementaryclassroomcommunity,youmaybeaskingyourself,Whatdoesthishavetodowith
beingastudentinLowerEl?WhyarethekidsandteachersinLowerElplayingGetDownagain?

YourLowerElementaryagedchild(69yearold)celebratesherindividuality,whilealsowantingtobea
significantmemberofsociety.Heisambitiousandindustrious.Heexpressesopinionsandwilloftentest
boundariesandlimitsasjusticeandhonestyareveryimportanttohim.Your69yearoldis
compassionateandhasafierceloyaltytohispeers.Shelovestobuildmicrosocietieswithherpeersas
awayforhertopracticewhatsheobservesintheworldand,thistime,yourchildisincontrol.Because
shehassuchadeepsenseofmoralityandjustice,shewillwanttomakesureeveryonegetsafairshare,
whilelearningthatfairnessiseveryonegettingwhattheyneed,notwhattheywant.Yourchildbeginsto,
atthisage,seeherselfasaparticipatingmemberinacommunitygreaterthanherfamilytheclassroom
communityistheperfectplaceforyour69yearoldtobegintolearnaboutandpracticewhatitmeansto
collaborate,problemsolve,empathize,andsharetime,space,andinformationwithothers.

Duringthefirstfewweeksofschool,ourmainfocusinourLowerElementarycommunityisonbuilding
acultureofcommunity.Wespendtimetogether,asawholeLowerElbothclassroomssharesnacks,
stories,ideas,laughter,andlessons.Weplaygamesanddomanyactivitiesthatbringustogetherand
encourageustotalktopeoplewedontusuallyspeakto,problemsolve,andbesilly.Wespendtime
togetherinourrespectivehomeroomclassroomstouringthespace,helpingeachotherwithnewworks,
sharinglessonswithoneanother,andcreatingclassroomrulesandguidelines.Wespendtimeoneonone
witheachothersharingourfavoritestories,findingoutwhatwehaveincommonwithsomeoneelse,
readingtooneanother,andlearningabouttheclassroomjobs.Wespendtimealonereadingto
ourselves,drawingaselfportrait,andlearningabouthowwelearnbest.

Wespendsomuchtimeonbuildingourclassroom/elementarycommunitybecausewebelieveinthe
importanceof:
buildingwarmandsupportiverelationshipsamongstudentsandteachers
Tiffany M. Jewell
tiffanymjewell@gmail.com

providingmanyopportunitiesforstudentstocollaborate
allowingstudentstohaveopportunitiestobeautonomous
and
tobeabletoinfluencetheirpeers
buildingempathy,resilience,andreflectionamongindividualstudentsandthegroup,asawhole.

Oneofourfavoritegamesisoneofthetoughestgamesweveeverplayed!Whilethegameisoften
called
SteppingStones
,wethinkthename
HotLava
suitsthegamemuchbetter!Thisgamerequiresa
greatdealofthinking,cooperation,andpatience.Thegoalof
HotLava
istogetfromPointAtoPointB
withouttouchingtheground(or,thehotlava).Luckily,theteachershavelavaproofstones,whichcanbe
usedtotravelacrosstheroomhowever,unfortunately,therearenotenoughstonesforeachpersonto
gethis/herown.

YourchildrenworktogethertofigureouthowtogetfromPointAtoPointBandcarefullymovethe
stonessotheycantravelacrossthespace(withoutsteppingintothelava).Theyholdoneanothersafely
sonoonefallsontothehotsmoulderingfloor(whichmeansthatfallenpersonhastostartatthe
beginning)andareabletocommunicateideas(sometimessilently)withoneanother.

Oftentimes,whenweareclosetotheendofourpathandPointBiswithinjumpingdistance,weget
overlyexcitedandjumpfromonestonetotheend.Whenthathappensthestonesgettakenaway
(because,whenastonegoesunoccupied,itdisappears)andourfriendsattheendarestrandedinthe
middleofthehotlava.Werecentlyplayed
HotLava
withhalfofLowerElandthefourteenkidswho
playedheldontooneanother,supportedeachother,communicatedtheirideasandstrategiestothegroup
and,whentheygottotheend,thekidsinthebeginningofthelinerefusedtoabandonthestonesandtheir
friendsuntileveryonewasabletocrossthePointBline.Itwassuchabeautifulthingtowitnessandthe
kidsweresoproudoftheirhugeaccomplishment!

Therearealsotimesthroughoutourdaysandweekswhenwetakeourselvestooseriously,whichiswhy
wealwaysenjoycomingtogethertoplayGetDown,afunsonganddanceinwhicheveryoneendsup
singinganddancinginthemiddleofthecircletogether.

Youllhearussing:

Andup!Chewchichew,chewchichew,chewchchew.Anddown!Chewchichew,chewchichew,
chewchchew.Totheright!Chewchichew,chewchichew,chewchchew.
Totheleft!Chewchichew,chewchichew,chewchchew.

Thissillysongstartswithonepersonsingingtoeveryone,whiledancinginthemiddleofourcircle.
Tiffany M. Jewell
tiffanymjewell@gmail.com

He/Shewillthenturntoonepersonandinvitetheminwiththesong:
Hey,there!Yourearealcool
cat!Youvegotalotofthis,andyouvegotalotofthat!Socomeoninandgetdown!

Fromthere,thesongsarerepeatedwithmoreandmorepeoplejoiningintothemiddleofthecircleuntil
everyoneisdancingtogether!Itsagreatgamethatallowsforallofus,intheLowerElementary
communitytobesillywithoneanother!

Buildingcommunityhelpsyourchildren,inourLowerElementarycommunityto:
buildempathytowardsothers,
bemotivatedtobekindandhelpful,
workwithpeopletheywouldntnormallyworkwith,
gainandpracticeconflictresolutionskills,
beresilient,
exploreandsharetheiridentities,
learnmoreaboutthepeopletheyspendtimewitheachday,
enjoyandtakeprideintheirclassroomenvironment,
be(appropriately)sillywithoneanotherandshareafunexperience,
lovelearning,
trustandrespecttheirclassmates,teachers,andthemselves,and
beabletoreflectontheirexperiences.

CommunityGuidelines

Confidentiality.
Tiffany M. Jewell
tiffanymjewell@gmail.com


NoAdvice.

Respect.Nonjudgement.Compassion.

Onepersontalksatatime.

Takecareofyourself.

Tiffany M. Jewell
tiffanymjewell@gmail.com