TEACHER STARTS THE YEAR WITH RELATIONSHIP BUILDING ACTIVITIES
EVANSVILLE— Tracie Stafford pointed to the flash card on her left, the last of 19 below a sign that reads, “Welcome to 2nd Grade.”
She leaned forward in her sturdy wooden chair and searched the face of each new student seated at her feet.
“Community is all of us getting along,” said Stafford, 53. She paused to make sure she had their full attention.
“It’s about taking care of your group and your things. Even if there’s something going on outside the classroom, we focus on our community and keep the room going.”
Stafford welcomed 21 children — 10 girls and 11 boys — to her class on Wednesday, the first day of school for all Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. students.
Like many teachers at Evans School, Stafford acquainted her new students to the environment and with one another with activities aimed at building relationships and fostering community.
“If you set classroom rules, like responsibility and respect, from Day 1, it’ll be easier to teach throughout the year,” said Stafford, who has taught second grade for four years. She taught art for three years before that.
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This material was taken from the Evansville Courier & Press website. Leadership Evansville did not write this article.