Hopes, Dreams, and Classroom Agreements

In the first six weeks of school, classroom communities are formed and academics take flight. To help students prepare for the year ahead and envision success—both socially and academically—teachers guide them in creating classroom agreements that can be revisited and referenced throughout the year. Following the Responsive Classroom framework for Lower School and Developmental Designs for Middle School, before establishing expectations, teachers open the floor for discussion and give students space to voice their thoughts and advocate for what they want out of a classroom and learning environment. These student-generated ideas then evolve into classroom agreements. These mutually agreed upon agreements ground the work they do throughout the year, create a shared understanding of what they expect out of themselves and each other, and give them a collective pathway to success.

In the Lower School, these classroom agreements are preceded by a brainstorm of Hopes and Dreams, where teachers encourage students to consider what their goals are for this school year - both academic and personal. These are unique to each student and are often displayed somewhere in the classroom. Building on their hopes and dreams, teachers ask students to think about what type of classroom environment is necessary for all students to be able to achieve their goals—then, with some tailoring and condensing—these ideas then become the foundation for classroom expectations. 

The process looks similar in Middle School! In advisories, students brainstorm what environment they need to feel successful, and ideate agreements, or “norms,” that they all agree to. Then, the Student REPs Committee reviews all of the norms from every advisory, and combines them into a few global agreements that all middle school students can support and commit to. 

These agreements are displayed in the classroom as a visible reminder of the environment students themselves envisioned—one that supports both their best learning and their best selves as peers. 

Flip through the photo carousel to see some examples of Classroom Agreements and Hopes and Dreams!