Creating a cohesive classroom community requires planning, effort, understanding and consistency. A cohesive classroom is not defined and identified by merely the physical space, it is where each and every child is respected, valued and is effectively engaged in the learning. The comfort and trust with which the children interact with each other, their teacher and the learning space lays the foundation of a cohesive classroom community. Children come from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, diverse experiences and diverse abilities. A cohesive classroom celebrates these differences and the individuality of each child.
Take a minute to reflect on the beginning of the school year, you spend a considerable amount of time setting up the classroom, displaying the boards, arranging stationery and other material, making lesson plans and doing much more. However what you do when the names on the list displayed on your classroom door make an appearance on the first day sets the character of your class. What we facilitate is a curriculum but with him or for whom we facilitate the curriculum are our children. If the classroom is focused on learning and the interests and abilities of all children are taken into consideration, we will spend more time in providing learning and less in managing the classroom. Each and every child should feel a strong sense of belonging to the class. At the end of the year, children also remember how it felt like being with their teacher in the class.
It begins with breaking the barriers, where children establish strong relationships with each other by knowing what is similar and unique about each one of them. And this happens when the teacher first knows about each and every child. Next is creating a climate where children can fearlessly participate in circle time or other discussions, where they are at ease. A certain degree of informality will exist in the classroom, at the same time a teacher should know when and where to draw the boundaries and set the academic expectations.
A clear direction to the children and inputs which help them in charting their way through the learning process is significant. Thus empowering them with a sense of ownership in the learning process. A sensitive interplay between group and individual goals is also required.
Then there will be children with energies which can be disruptive and which can hinder the building of a cohesive classroom. If the energies of these children are positively channelised, they can prove to be an asset to the class. At no point of time should a teacher get into a power struggle with such children. As teachers we need to understand these children and also that these are behavioural phases which shall pass.
Many times as teachers we fall into the trap of implementing the lesson content and ignore the group dynamics and social and emotional development of children, leaving that to be the responsibility of the class teacher. Three important aspects of a cohesive classroom community are ; interpersonal relationships, commitment to learning because of interest and challenges and a sense of pride.
The components of a cohesive classroom are : acceptance of each other, togetherness, respect and understanding, harmony, tolerance, environment of listening, give and take, relationship with each other and above all meaningful engagement.
Having said all this, it is not necessary that a class that has been earlier cohesive will always remain so. It is the teacher who along with the children sets the energies and character of the class.
