[Establishing and Maintaining a Healthy Classroom Environment]

KIMBERLY FARLESS: At the beginning of the year,to create my classroom culture I do a classroom social contract.[Kimberly Farless, Fifth/Sixth Grade Teacher]In the social contract, we talk about howwe need to act in our class and understandthat it's OK to ask questions, and we are notmade fun of for asking those questions

KIMBERLY FARLESS [continued]: and that we need to feel comfortable in our classrooms.So as we go along and talk about those things,that seems to bring us closer together as a group.And we try to focus on the eight mathematical practices.And we focus on making viable argumentsand not being afraid to make those viable arguments.

KIMBERLY FARLESS [continued]: So we talk a lot about asking why and attending to precision.Well, how did you solve it versus how did they solve it?What's different about it?What's the same?So creating that environment where they can openlytalk about how they're solving problemsseems to bring us closer and they want to learn more.

AMY FRANCIS: Well, in my classroom,I do create a very warm communityfeeling in my environment.[Amy Francis, Second Grade Teacher] And Ifeel that's the key to having the classroom that I have.So starting day one, I greet the students at the door.And then day one, they are up there in morning meeting.I begin the year being the leader of the morning meeting.

AMY FRANCIS [continued]: And as the year progresses, I allow them to take overand they run the morning. meeting themselves.That's pretty key to having a successful communityclassroom is that there's not one person thatreally is the head, that it's all of our classroom.It's we are a community.And without one of us, then our community is lacking.

SPEAKER 1: 61 again.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.Wait, let's jump instead.60, 71.

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: And then jump 10 again.81 and then.

SPEAKER 2: Wait, what was that one?

SPEAKER 1: Which is 91.[INAUDIBLE]And then go again.

SPEAKER 3: 101!We can't do--OK, so let's start over and say 101 over here.[MUSIC PLAYING]