Provide structures for students to participate in establishing classroom norms and revisit/revise regularly
Providing space for students to authentically participate in the functioning of the classroom allows them to see that teachers are willing to be flexible and responsive, and empowers students to advocate for their needs. Revisiting classroom norms and procedures at regular intervals is a powerful way to show students that their needs and voices matter, and to model that a first draft can always be better informed by lived experience.
We suggest implementing these strategies:
Explore Student Experiences Throughout the School Year
Click on each critical period to explore student experiences.
Strong Start
August/September
Keeping Up
November/December
Midterm Reset
January/February
Exam Prep
March/April
Due to varying school schedules and contexts, the exact timing of the critical periods will differ by school and even by class. The months provided are a guide for where teachers should be looking for experiences based on time of year.