classroom community

Creating a community within a classroom is an extremely important thing to do. The minute a student steps foot into the room they should feel welcome into a warm environment. The teacher should have the room set up in a way that looks inviting with desks in groups instead of rows and carpet area to sit and discuss.
I think it is most important on the first day of school to sit and have a discussion with the class about what you are expecting of them and what they expect of you. This creates a good teacher student relationship. It is also necessary to get to know each student individually as well as the class as a whole, if you know what background everyone is coming from it helps you as the teacher to identify with them. If you go in with a confident and positive attitude the students will see this and gain confidence in you and your teaching. I am a big believer in the "kids can smell fear" philosophy myself.
When I became a substitute teacher I was unsure if I would be able to just step into a classroom on very little notice and fill a teachers shoes. This changed drastically for me when my first year out of college i was thrown into a second grade classroom on the first day of school not knowing how i would find the room because the regular teacher was in the hospital. I went in early to find the classroom not set up at all, no names on the desks, no class list, and no teacher's books. I panicked and didn"t know what to do so i went to one of the other 2nd grade classrooms and saw how it was set up then went about setting up the room the way i felt it should be set up to make the students feel comfortable. I then found the class list and set up groups, and asked the other teacher where the books were kept so that i could look them over. After the students came in i wasn't freaking out anymore. I greeted them all helped them get settled then called them to the rug for a class meeting to discuss classroom rules and etiquette. I feel that having a meeting creates a sort of democracy in the classroom. They know that the teacher has the final say but they have an input as well. The first day of school discussion is what sets the tone for the year ahead and if the students are able to express themselves freely it aides in a better community.
I also think that is important to point out to the students that every classroom is a puzzle and they each bring something unique and interesting to the classroom puzzle. With my second grade class on the first day of school I had them each take a puzzle piece (that i had created the night before) and decorate it with things that were interesting about themselves that they wanted to tell their classmates. I then had them present their pieces and work together to put the puzzle together. It was a wonderful team building exercise for me to watch as a future teacher and for the kids because they all learned something about each other and saw how it all fit together.