The sixth element of classroom synergy is class agreements. Reached by consensus, class agreements serve as the map that guides student and teacher behavior in the classroom.
During 3-4 class meetings and private conversations at the beginning of the school year, the students and teacher discuss a range of topics and generate a variety of lists that will be used to create class guidelines and rules.
Discussion topics can include (83-84):
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These discussion results are collated into lists and charts, which are posted in the classroom for further discussion and distillation (84):
- What students enjoy and dislike about school, teachers, and activities
- How students and teachers should conduct themselves
The teacher then composes a list of concise statements describing the agreed classroom behavior, posts it in the classroom, and sends a copy home to parents.
Class meetings provide the teacher with opportunities to model the behaviors she/he wants students to adopt. Periodic meetings (weekly or bimonthly, 20 minutes at a time) can be used to reinforce classroom synergy. The posted agreement list acts as a daily reminder to students.
Meeting agendas can include: