words and photo Samantha Song
At the beginning of each school year, my key priority as an educator is to create an inclusive and inviting classroom community. Children need to feel a sense of belonging and safety before they are comfortable enough to take risks and make mistakes in their learning—whether in front of their classmates or even their teacher.
This sense of inclusiveness is foundational to joyful learning. When we reflect on our own educational experiences, aren’t the most inspiring moments those when we felt encouraged, present, and secure enough to try something new?
Hopes and Dreams as a Foundation for Community
Typically, around two weeks into the school year, I lead an activity with the class called Hopes and Dreams. By identifying children’s hopes and dreams, we build a sense of togetherness and shared purpose for the year ahead.
This practice acknowledges each child’s voice and helps establish a positive, collaborative classroom culture. I’ve also found that students’ reflections during this activity deepen my understanding of them as individuals.
Students begin by thinking about what they wish or hope for during the school year—something they then illustrate and write about. These hopes and dreams may include learning to read, exploring science projects, or making new friends.
As the teacher, I participate as well.
Together, we display these hopes and dreams in the classroom for the entire year, serving as a visual reminder of what we are striving toward and how our daily actions can help make these aspirations real.
Co-Creating Rules with Children
The following day, we hold a class discussion about what kinds of rules and agreements will help everyone achieve their hopes and dreams. Even children as young as six take the lead in brainstorming.
Students are often remarkably perceptive, identifying the boundaries needed to create a safe, respectful, and joyful learning environment for all.
This process empowers children and reinforces the idea that the classroom belongs to everyone—not just the teacher.
Safety, Voice, and Joyful Learning
Naming hopes and dreams early in the year helps children feel invested in both their learning and their classroom community. A classroom should not feel like the teacher’s space alone—it is a shared environment of learning, curiosity, and growth.
This practice is foundational to the Responsive Classroom philosophy, which emphasizes community-building, understanding students as individuals, and valuing social-emotional learning alongside academics.
Children spend much of their day in school—it becomes, in many ways, a second home. Creating a space where they feel safe, included, and heard is not just beneficial; it is essential.
As an educator, I see this as one of my core responsibilities, and a belief that continues to guide my daily practice.
This article is part of the Ottiya Magazine, featuring voices from educators and contributors whose work reflects our shared values around community, creativity, and meaningful learning.
Explore more from the Ottiya Magazine and discover how our early ideas continue to shape our work today.
Today, that same spirit lives on through Ottiya’s courses, songs, and stories—designed to help kids learn through creativity, connection, and play.
