Building Classroom Communities: What are the Social and Academic Impacts? Mary C.

Building Classroom Communities: What are the Social and Academic Impacts? Mary C. Elementary and Early Secondary Education with a Concentration in Biology State University of New York College at Cortland Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION at BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE May 2013 This project has been approved for the Department of Elementary Education and Reading by Instructor s Signature Date

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 2 Chapter One Introduction In a day and age where teachers are feeling pushed to always find new and better methods for improving their students test scores, I believe I may have found a relatively simple concept that may just improve test scores as a by-product. As I have implemented classroom community building strategies I am finding that my students want to be in class and when they are there, they seem to be learning more. Human beings, in general, thrive in situations where they feel accepted, wanted, valued and cared about- at least I know I do! When I first began teaching, 15 years ago, I know it was just plain scary to start in a new school full of strangers. Fortunately for me, I was 22 years old and had already gained the confidence and social skills necessary to make friends and create support systems for myself. I also remember back to my childhood years, where my students are now, and it reminds me that social skills and the creation of supports are not innate talents and that they must be learned to help create a confident, successful child. These are beliefs that I have carried throughout my teaching career, but I hadn t yet found a great deal of guidance in how to help my students attain those goals. After 13 years of teaching middle and high school science, I landed in an all-inclusive fifth grade classroom. My transition occurred at the time of a major restructuring within my current district. As the district was attempting to maintain and create a sense of community within the faculty and students, I was first introduced to a professional developer who was brought in to teach us strategies to use within our classroom to promote a sense of classroom and school community.

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 3 As a middle school teacher, I had been introduced to the concepts of creating classroom rules and class meetings, but at the time I had little use for them because I was dealing with about 120 students in five different classes and was unable to figure out how to implement the strategies in such a setting. Once I embarked on the job of an elementary teacher who kept all 24 of my students all day long, the ideas and strategies of creating a classroom community began to shine through. Last year was my first year implementing strategies and I found that my students reacted well and it seemed to help them. In addition to creating classroom rules as a class and implementing class meetings where we greet each other and share how we are each day along with discussing class issues, we have also discussed the fact that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that as a group we can each use our own strengths to help others improve their weaknesses. With our strengths as a focus, my goal is that we have become a community of learners where everyone can help each other. I am now half way through my second year of implementing community building strategies and it is now time to interview my students to see if what I think is helping them is actually creating the impacts that I am striving for. Purpose Statement & Research Questions Purpose statement. I would like to find out if the classroom community building strategies implemented in my 5 th grade classroom are having the desired effects of improving students sense of well-being and academic performance. If my findings prove positive, as I believe they will, I will continue to implement the strategies in my classroom and create positive proof for other educators that building classroom communities help each student maximize their own potential. If they do not prove to be an effective method for reaching my students, I will continue to research and adjust my teaching methods until I find something else that will.

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 4 Research question. Does the use of classroom community building strategies impact students school experience either socially or academically? I am choosing to research this idea because I have already bought in to the idea of creating community in my classroom and I want to know if it is actually working to help my students or if I need to try something else. Importance of the Study The findings of this study will be beneficial on multiple levels. For me, it comes down to the simple fact that I am interested in finding out if the strategies I am trying out in my classroom right now are actually working. If I find merit in the strategies and how I am implementing them, it can benefit my colleagues by giving them an additional path to follow in improving the level of education and overall classroom experience for their students. Definition of Terms The term classroom community takes a few forms throughout literature. Hagborg (1994) refers to it as school membership while both Vieno, Perkins, Smith, & Santinello (2005) and Vieno, Santinello, Pastore, & Perkins (2007) refer to it as a sense of community. Whatever the term, the concept is described as shared emotional connections and supports within the classroom and school that foster a sense of belonging and safety (Beaudoin, 2012) where the students feel as though their needs are being met (Beaudoin, 2012; Hagborg, 1994; Vieno, et al., 2005; Vieno et al, 2007). Hagborg (1994) adds that school membership also includes an involvement within and a belief in the class and/or school. Chapter 2 As classrooms become locations of increased cultural diversity as a representation of the larger population (David and Capraro, 2001) and places of increased academic and social pressure, it becomes more imperative that teachers are armed with the knowledge and tools they

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 5 need to help their students show success. One proven way of doing this is by creating classroom communities. There are many proven strategies available to aid in improving classroom cohesiveness which in turn improves the students self-efficacy and motivation to learn. In addition to improving the relationships between students by creating good classroom communities, a good teacher will also be attuned to the social and emotional needs of her students. This attention to the students non-academic needs will improve the student - teacher relationship which can increase the feelings of security and according to Jonathan Erwin (2010), students will learn well if they have a friendly and supportive environment, (p. 188). What is a Classroom Community? The concept of classroom community takes a few forms throughout the literature. Vieno, Perkins, Smith, & Santinello (2005) and Vieno, Santinello, Pastore, & Perkins (2007) refer to it as a sense of community, while Hagborg (1994) refers to it as school membership. All three terms describe the concept as shared emotional connections and supports within the classroom and school that help develop and maintain a sense of belonging and safety (Beaudoin, 2012) where the students feel as though their needs are being met (Beaudoin, 2012; Hagborg, 1994; Vieno et al., 2005; Vieno et al., 2007). Benefits of Creating Classroom Communities When instituted correctly, a solid classroom community will create safe emotionally and academically supportive environments for students where they are able to grow. The research indicates that students benefit from being members of classroom communities as shown through an improvement in their sense of self-concept and self- efficacy (Erwin, 2010; Hagborg, 1994; McMahon, Wernsman & Rose, 2009; Vieno et al., 2005; Vieno et al., 2007). Additionally, a positive sense of school belonging was found to have a positive association to the students

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 6 academic success (Hagborg, 1994; McMahan et al. 2009). Hagborg (1994) goes further to explain that positive school membership has the potential capability to decrease drop-out rates in addition to lessening the apathy of the students who remain in school. Another major benefit of creating and maintaining classroom communities is that students psychological needs are being met through social avenues. Beaudoin (2012) and Erwin (2010) remind us that the world is built on relationships and that we need to know how to navigate them. Vieno et al. (2005) indicate that an increased sense of community may provide students with better social and coping skills and in turn greater happiness. As diversity in classrooms rises, it is important that students are taught how to interact with people from different backgrounds. When a supportive classroom community is in place, these students are brought together (David & Capraro, 2001) and they tend to show more concern and respect for others along with overall more pro-social behaviors (Vieno et al., 2005). David and Capraro (2001) add that in addition to all of the positive results for the students, the teachers also benefit by having a classroom where their teaching and instructional strategies are more effective. Attending to Students Social and Emotional Needs In addition to the multi-faceted job of teaching students academic content, an effective teacher must also attend to the social and emotional needs of his students by providing emotional support (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011; Wentzel, 2010). The Collaboration for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (2013) defines social-emotional learning as the processes of developing social and emotional competencies in children [and] is based on the understanding that the best learning emerges in the context of supportive relationships that make learning challenging, engaging, and meaningful. Durlak et al. (2011)

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 7 along with Erwin (2010) contend that students will have more success, both academically and socially if the students feel that their teacher cares for them. It is the combination of feeling cared for by both classmates and their teacher that can have a huge impact on students school careers and life beyond the classroom. Strategies to Help Create Classroom Communities To get and give the most to students, a sense of classroom community must be created and maintained. There are many proven methods for educators to use to improve students sense of community in the classroom. The first focus identified was the use of clear and precise expectations. It makes things clear for the students and they are better able to succeed when they know what they are aiming for (Beaudoin, 2012; Wentzel, Battle, Russell, & Looney (2010). It also helps to build a sense of respect (Beaudoin, 2012; Vieno, et al, 2005). Respect and positive classroom interactions within a classroom community can be partially achieved through the use of democratic processes (Vieno, et al, 2005) where the students are able to have a voice in what is going on around them. They are asked to collaborate in creating classroom and school rules along with the planning of school events (Beaudoin, 2012; Vieno, et al, 2005). A second common theme throughout the literature was that utilizing group activities to promote student collaboration is a good way to help create a sense of community (Beaudoin, 2012). David and Capraro (2001) offered the specific activities of book talks, partner read and retells, and show and tell type activities as ways to help students gain a sense of community. Additional researchers such as Erwin (2010) and Kriete (1999) are proponents of the use of classroom meetings as a tool to allow students a voice in the class which supports their social and emotional needs and affords them more success. Conclusion

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 8 As we continue to see a broadening of the diversity of student populations, it is imperative that educators work with their students to help them bridge the gaps found between differing groups of people. By creating a safe and cohesive environment for a group of students where they are encouraged to work together and find solutions collectively on a large range of problems, they are allowed to flourish both socially and academically. Additionally, when students feel as though their teacher cares about them, through her attention to their social and emotional well-being, they will attain more success. Building a classroom community can help educators achieve these goals. Chapter 3 Overview This study took place utilizing a sample of 10 and 11 year old students in a regular education classroom in the northeastern United States. The one male and four female children were the students of the graduate student researcher who implemented strategies (see chapter one) throughout the school year. The survey/interview was completed during the spring and data collection took place in an adjacent classroom. The digital recording of the interview allowed for repetition in the analysis of the data as it was desegregated and themes were defined. Methodology Participants. The participants in this study were five fifth grade students chosen randomly from my class who returned the parental permission slips. Of the five students chosen, four were female and one was a male. All five were 10-11 years of age and four were Caucasian. The fifth child was of Native American decent.

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 9 Site of study. This study took place in a 5 th grade classroom located in a small city district in the Northeast Region of the United States of America. The strategies were practiced in the classroom and the interviews took place in an adjacent classroom. Role of the researcher. My role in this study was multifaceted. I am a graduate student completing my first master s degree while I teach fifth grade full time. I am an experienced teacher, having taught middle and high school science for thirteen years prior to my transition into an elementary level teacher. This has put me in the predicament of readjusting many of the strategies I had previously utilized well into the new setting of an elementary classroom where all students remain with me for the entire day. As I had been utilizing classroom community building strategies, I felt as though they had been working well and that we had created a community of learners. This is where my bias becomes evident because I already thought the students were showing success. In addition, I was concerned that my students might have given me the answers they thought I wanted instead of being completely honest based on our well established relationships. To combat this bias, I asked a fellow researcher to complete the clinical interviews to remove myself from the students discussions. In addition, I desegregated data with a colleague to help maintain integrity and identify and remove any bias that I encountered. Data collection. The group of five students was taken to the empty classroom across the hall where they were asked six interview questions. 1. Turn your paper over and draw ANYTHING that comes to mind about your classroom. 2. What do you think about school this year? 3. I heard your class does morning meetings. Can you please tell me about them? 4. How do you feel when you work with other students in the classroom? 5. Think of a time when you were in a classroom that was set up differently than yours is this year. What do you think of how your classroom is set up this year? 6. When you think of a great teacher, what makes him/her

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 10 great? The group was instructed to answer the questions in an open setting where they were required to respectfully give answers to the questions without stopping to raise their hands. According to Creswell (2007), using a focus group promoted an environment where they were allowed to build on each other s answers and hopefully draw out more conversation than if each child were interviewed individually (p 133). As the student interviews were completed, the researcher took notes along with creating an audio recording of the conversation for the purpose of gathering additional data that may have been missed in the conversations. The techniques for writing open ended interview questions and the recording of a clinical interview have been followed using Herbert Ginsburg s chapter 4 of Entering the Child s Mind: The Clinical Interview In Psychological Research and Practice (1997). Data analysis. Once the interview was complete, I began the intensive job of analyzing the information gained through inductive analysis according to the ideas of Corbin and Strauss (2008). Because the interview was digitally recorded, I was able to listen to the interview multiple times to desegregate patterns and gather generalized claims about my students opinions. I was also able to transcribe pertinent portions of the conversation to use as my evidence. As I listened to the interview and looked at the written surveys, two themes became apparent. 1. The students interviewed believe that their teacher cares about them and 2. Working together can be helpful. Chapter 4 Overview In an attempt to answer the research question, does the use of classroom community building strategies impact students school experience either socially or academically, an interview of five regular education fifth grade students aged 10 and 11was conducted. The

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 11 students had all been in the researcher s class for eight months and had been practicing community building strategies throughout that time. The five students (one male and four females) were taken to an adjacent classroom where my research partner interviewed them together using Creswell s (2007) focus group approach allowing the students the ability to feel more comfortable answering questions as a group instead of individually. The session was audio recorded to allow for repeated reviewing of the interviews to better desegregate the data. Based on the recorded interview and artifacts, I was able to draw the conclusion that my students have predominantly positive feelings about their classroom experience through working with both their teacher and classmates. More specifically, I was able to create and provide evidence for two major assertions. The first is that the students believed that their teacher cared about them and the second is that students working together can be helpful. Assertion #1: The Students Believed That Their Teacher Cares About Them When the interviewer asked the participants to draw anything that comes to mind when they think of their classroom, 4 out of 5 of the students drew pictures of their teacher with a smile on her face (see Appendix A). This indicates that the students view the teacher as being pleasant and a person who creates a welcoming environment. Along with the pictures drawn by the students, their responses to the interview questions support the fact that they feel cared about by their teacher. Additionally, the data from the interview revealed that the students felt cared for both academically and socially. Ariel (student and teacher names are pseudonyms) said, She has a heart and she feels for you. Marybeth added, Mrs. Hartman is great because if you have a life problem you can just go up to her, at the right time, you can just go up to her and she ll just deal

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 12 with it like if you have a problem with your family or homework she ll be supportive of it or she ll try to figure out ways to help you. Rachel, Alexandra and Mike all referred to their teacher s one on one instruction. Rachel said, she works with you independently and helps you until you understand it, and Alexandra added, If you don t understand something, she will make all possible attempts to help you. Mike spoke of a specific instance after an absence when he shared it is hard to do some of the lessons and Mrs. Hartman helped me get it. The interviewer prompted him with the question How did she do that? and he responded, We were working with fractions and we had to divide or something and I missed one of the lessons and I didn t get it. When I was working on my homework she came by and helped me with it. Students were also asked about morning meetings during the interview. One aspect of morning meetings that seemed to resonate with the students was the daily ratings. Each student was asked to rate how they felt that morning on a scale of 1 (being the worst day ever) through 5 (the best day ever) and they were also given the opportunity to share a sentence or two explaining their rating. Alexandra said that she (the teacher) gets to know how we re feeling, and Marybeth added, We can tell each other how we feel so your friends know so they can cheer you up or so she (the teacher) knows so she can take it easy on you. These findings support the fact that the effort that the teacher put in to making sure her students feel welcome and cared for was actually working. The teacher worked very hard to smile as much as she could and to take the time to listen to her students to make sure they knew that someone cared about them. I was a bit surprised at the results from the morning meeting. I had thought that the important part of the meeting was the morning greeting (everyone is greeted

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 13 by and greets another person) because I thought that would make them feel welcome and acknowledged, but what I found out is that the morning rating was more important to them. In addition to the feelings of being cared for by their teacher, the students also indicated that working with other students can be beneficial. Assertion #2: Students Working Together Can Be Helpful When asked, How do you feel when you work with other students in the classroom, the interviewed students responded with a mixture of positive and negative thoughts. Three of the five students shared their concerns about working with other students who were uncooperative. Marybeth said, I feel like other people should cooperate and not be lazy. I feel like I m the only one doing it. Ariel added her distaste for working with a partner at times. On a much more positive note, the students also referred to the fact that working with partners can be beneficial both socially and academically. Ariel said that working with partners helps you build your social life, and Alexandra added that it builds friendships. Rachel seemed surprised when she stated that some of the people that you don t really think you ll work well with you do. On a more academic note, Alexandra added that she is happy about working with others because we can help each other work through it if they don t know how to do it. Based on the data from the interview, I have found that in general my students understand why we have partners and that they feel that having a partner benefits them when they are working with someone who is on task and cooperative. This portion of my findings did not surprise me based on the fact that I have both witnessed the lack of cooperation and ensuing frustrations and I have also been a student in very similar shoes to my students and have felt what they are feeling. As a classroom teacher, I attempt to combat this by being both vigilant

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 14 while students are working together and continuously changing the partners that they work with. As evidenced by the comments about making new friends and building a social life, the benefits of cooperative learning are also apparent to my students.

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 15 References Beaudoin, B. (2012). Creating community: From individual reflection to SoTL transformation. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 6(1), 1-10. David, H.L. & Capraro, R.M. (2001). Strategies for teaching in heterogeneous environments while building a classroom community. Education 122(1), 80-86. Collaboration for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning retrieved from: http://casel.org/why-it-matters/what-is-sel/ (May 7, 2013) Corbin, J.M. & Strauss, A.L. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Sage Publications, Inc Creswell, J.W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage Publications, Inc. Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K.B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1). 405-432. Erwin, J. (2010). Inspiring the best in students. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Hagborg, W. (1994). An exploration of school membership among middle- and high-school students. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment 12, 312-323. Kriete, R. (1999). The morning meeting book. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children. McMahon, S.D., Wernsman, J. & Rose, D.S. (2009). The relation of classroom environment and school belonging to academic self-efficacy among urban fourth-and fifth-grade students. The Elementary School Journal 109(3), 267-281. Vieno, A., Perkins, D., Smith, T. & Santinello, M. (2005). Democratic school climate and sense of community in school: A multilevel analysis. American Journal of Community Psychology 36(3/4), 327-341. Vieno, A., Santinello, M., Pastore, M. & Perkins, D. (2007). Social support, sense of community in school, and self-efficacy as resources during early adolescence: An integrative model. American Journal of Community Psychology 39(1), 177-190. Wentzel, K., Battle, A., Russell, S. & Looney, L. (2010). Social supports from teachers and peers as predictors of academic and social motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology 35(3), 193-202.

BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES 16 Appendix A