All Houses develop contracts for creating classroom environments where everyone feels safe and is encouraged to take risks:
Various read-alouds and reading group selections throughout the year focus on themes including family, behavior, and values
Frequent House/Social and Emotional learning discussions (planned & when need arises) with ideas of sportsmanship, using “I-messages,” self-reflections, conflict resolution, morning meeting or check-ins, sharing circles
Responsive Classroom greetings
Community building activities and games
Learning about and celebrating cultural differences within each House community focusing on holidays (Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, etc.)
Grade-wide curricular study of NYC landmarks, neighborhoods, and communities
Grade-wide service-learning study of energy consumption within the FP community and globally
Individual Houses:
write about aspirations requiring hard work, overcoming challenges, reaching goals;
contribute to the Caring Tree;
reward others by contributing to the Compliment jar for good deeds;
conduct buddy activities (being role models);
and devote time to a Martin Luther King, Jr. study.