1. Taking risks to build Positive classroom culture
April Grant-Torrez
4th Grade Teacher
Pojoaque Valley Intermediate

2. What does risk taking have to do with positive classroom culture?
Walking a fine line between being a Professional (Adulting) and being human with your students isn’t easy.
“You really are a Big Kid!”
“Whoa! You know how to trade Pokémon cards and your favorite superhero is Batman!!!”

3. Body Language Cultural Cues Non-Verbal Cues The Mom Look!
The “I got my eyes on you” look and gesture.
Cultural Cues
Snapping of the fingers
Side looks

4. Sarcasm
It works!
You think?
I love the way you just did that!
Seriously?
Go Figure!
Are you kidding me?
Wow!
Break them down and have them reflect with sarcasm but ALWAYS check for good student rapport with an explaination!

5. Attention Getters Call Backs Out of the norm questions
Complements that help build a relationship
Talk their language
Make fun of yourself

6. Setting boundaries and expectations
Modeling/Role Playing
Classroom discourse
4S line… with a BUBBLE in your mouth
Modeling what not to do
Mean Girls Act
The Jock

7. Building Relationships
Build a relationship with students who respect you by becoming one of “them” yet still holding them accountable for their learning and behavior.
In the first few days of the school year I like to shock my students by joining them in activities that they deem “off limits” to adults.
Having lunch dates for fun or for lecturing

8. Become Human Make Mistakes Queen of misspelled words Read incorrectly
Swing on the monkey bars
Play basketball
Play volleyball
Run laps
Rock Collecting

9. Only 1 rule All expectations fall under the one rule of respect
Every year my incoming students say “Is it true that you only have one rule in your classroom?”

10. We all take risks everyday for our students
We do it because we are vested in our students as individuals and some students need that extra connection.
We want to be approachable and create a safe learning environment for all students.