When imagining the day-to-day lives of professors, most people think of tasks such as creating curriculum, designing engaging and informative lectures, grading papers and exams, and holding office hours. While not incorrect, perhaps the most important task of all is that of building the right classroom community. While this is easier said than done, this guide will help answer key questions that professors have when it comes to creating the perfect learning environment, focusing on the educational character and social support that are essential for student engagement, persistence, and mental health.

Think back to an elementary school classroom. It was like home away from home. The teacher put up unique decorations, and you spent every day of the school year with the same group of students. You had your own little space in your desk, your cubby, your spot on the rug for story time. The community was built right into the classroom, serving as a central element that fostered relationships among students, families, and school personnel. The further students get along the academic journey, the weaker that classroom community becomes, until ultimately, they become mundane spaces they occupy once or twice per week, carrying their belongings around on their backs, where they may or may not know anything about the other occupants.

At the college level, classroom community becomes an abstract concept. It is a feeling that professors must invoke without the aid of permanent tangible objects. The nature of these educational communities shapes the learning experience, cultivating belonging and engagement. Professors know they have turned a classroom into a thriving community when they begin to notice students calling each other by name and connecting on deeper levels. They witness smiles, laughter, and maybe even raw emotion bubbling up out of class discussions. Fostering a strong community at this level is crucial, as it enhances student learning outcomes and helps build the social support networks that contribute to academic persistence and emotional well-being. They can look out at the classroom and sense when the dynamic has shifted, even in grand lecture halls full of hundreds of students.

Why is Building Community in the Classroom Important?

Social connection in the form of a positive classroom community makes students feel at ease, encouraging them to open their minds and receive the diverse perspectives of their peers and professors. This allows them to more deeply process the curriculum, leading to greater academic success and clarity on how to apply it toward their career goals. A strong sense of community can significantly improve student persistence and reduce student attrition, helping students stay engaged and motivated throughout their academic journey. A classroom community provides that essential social support, preventing students from leaving college due to isolation or lack of connection.

Viewing the professor as the head of their classroom community, as opposed to just an authority figure, makes students more likely to reach out for additional support on everything from specific course curriculum to academic and career planning, to adapting coursework and academic success into the rest of their lives. When professors create open and welcoming classroom communities, students are also more likely to seek community in the rest of the institution by accessing student services and joining student groups. Student and faculty perceptions of the classroom atmosphere play a crucial role in building a positive learning environment and supportive atmosphere. Every connection a student makes to their institution is a step forward and another door open to long-lasting personal growth and career opportunity. Student attitudes toward learning and engagement are shaped by the quality of the classroom community, which can have a lasting impact on both academic and personal growth.

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Elements of a Strong Classroom Community

A classroom community is much more than just a group of students sharing the same physical or virtual space—it is a vibrant, interactive environment where everyone works together toward shared educational and personal growth.

Key elements of a strong classroom community include:

1. Supportive Peer relationships
2. Social interaction
3. A sense of belonging conducive to learning

In a well-built classroom community, students and teachers collaborate, communicate, and support one another, creating a strong foundation for student learning and success. This sense of community is built on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to learning, which helps foster a positive classroom climate where students feel safe, valued, and motivated.

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Classroom Rules and Expectations

Establishing clear classroom rules and expectations is a cornerstone of building a positive classroom community. When students and teachers work together to co-create classroom rules, it ensures that everyone is on the same page and understands what is expected within the classroom environment. This collaborative approach not only promotes a sense of ownership and responsibility among students but also helps to build trust and foster a supportive classroom community.

Focusing on positive behaviours—such as respect, empathy, and kindness—rather than simply outlining consequences for misbehaviour, sets the tone for a positive classroom environment where students feel encouraged to contribute and support one another. By involving students in the process of setting classroom rules, teachers empower them to take an active role in shaping the classroom community, which leads to greater learning engagement and a stronger sense of belonging. Ultimately, clear and collaboratively developed classroom rules help create a positive classroom climate that supports student learning, well-being, and the development of a strong, supportive community.

How to build a Classroom Community with Kritik360

Although professors do not have the luxury or ability to physically transform the classrooms they teach, there are many ways to build community from the very first day. It begins before the first class ever even takes place. Consider submitting a welcome video for students to review and evaluate as a test activity in Kritik360. This allows students to see your face, hear your voice, and learn a little bit about your personality and teaching style. Giving students a very simple and enjoyable assignment to prepare for the first class also helps to set their expectations for the first day. Kritik360 encourages students to interact with the course material beyond just textbook material and lectures. Through productive conversations and engaging online learning environments, students develop a deeper understanding of course concepts, co-create expectations and build a sense of community of learning together.

The first-day assignment should flow naturally into the community-building process by encouraging students to connect. Challenge yourself to come up with a creative, personalized, and relevant icebreaker to spark student enthusiasm. These activities help students engage, foster student interactions, and encourage students to share their experiences, perspectives, and feedback, which are essential for creating a supportive classroom environment. The first class should also include a Town Hall-style establishment of a class community code of conduct that all students have a voice in and pledge to uphold.

Once this foundation is laid, maintaining the class community feel throughout the semester is effortless. Refer back to the code of conduct when needed, and continue to infuse the curriculum with personalized and socially relevant assignments and discussions that allow students to build on their relationships with each other. All of the above can be applied in both a traditional and online classroom setting, so try them out to see how you can create a strong community. Online learning through digital platforms like distance education, online classes and asynchronous learning networks through group reflection and community building activities can make students feel supported, especially in remote or hybrid environments.

Incorporating an inquiry learning approach can further enhance the classroom community experience by promoting active engagement, deeper understanding, and perceived cognitive learning among students. Fostering a positive environment that enables community psychology can help build social skills, a sense of belonging, which is crucial for student success and affective learning. Ongoing communication and collaboration are essential, as student interactions help build a strong learning community.

Opportunities for community building can be integrated throughout the school day, such as during a class meeting, to reinforce social-emotional skills and student voice. These strategies are relevant for early childhood educators as well as higher education. Comparing faculty approaches to building community can provide valuable insights into participants' perceptions and best practices for fostering engagement and belonging.

Research shows that these strategies have a positive impact on learning outcomes and mental health, supporting both academic success and overall well-being.

Professors can also communicate with other educators as part of a “community of practice” for professors to share ideas and thoughts surrounding pedagogy, and facilitate stronger and more meaningful connections with students.

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