Ten tips for the Golden Weeks in primary education

What are the Golden Weeks?

The Golden Weeks are the first weeks of the school year, during which the foundation is laid for positive group dynamics. During this period, group norms, relationships and the atmosphere in a class develop. By consciously focusing on group formation, teachers can contribute to a positive pedagogical climate, social safety and the prevention of bullying. After the Christmas holiday, the Silver Weeks provide a new opportunity to strengthen group dynamics and renew agreements with the class.

Group phases and group dynamics

You can read about the phases a group goes through and your role in them in the article Group dynamics in the classroom by Stichting School & Veiligheid. It provides a brief explanation of the phases involved in forming a group. You will also learn how group processes work and how you can influence them as a teacher. In addition, you will learn how the phases influence one another and what happens when you do or do not intervene.

Tip 1: Take the time to really get to know one another

During the Golden Weeks, take the time to really get to know one another. Make sure that students get to know one another, but also get to know you as a teacher. This strengthens mutual connectedness and leads to greater understanding and empathy for one another. Therefore, set aside sufficient time for activities focused on getting acquainted. Have the students already been in the same class for some time? Focus on getting to know one another even better; for example, what do they not yet know about each other?

Tip 2: Do as many group-forming activities as possible

The group norms and mutual relationships are established during the first six weeks of the school year. Group-forming activities contribute to creating a positive group climate. Therefore, at the beginning of the school year, set aside time every day for group-forming activities. Looking for inspiration? You can find plenty of teaching materials for this at weektegenpesten.nl.

Tip 3: Establish the group rules together

Establish the group rules together with the class. When you create them together with your students, you ensure that they are shared norms and that students will conform to them more quickly. Also discuss the purpose of the rules together and formulate them positively. Five to ten rules are sufficient. It is also good to make agreements about online etiquette. Discuss and evaluate the agreements regularly. What is going well? What is still difficult? How can we help one another with this? Do the rules need to be adjusted?

Tip 4: Make sure classmates work together frequently

By working together frequently, students get to know and understand one another better. In addition, you strengthen the sense of togetherness in the class when they work toward a shared goal. Students can learn to work together in different ways, for example by using cooperative activities or games and working on joint projects. It is of course important that they work together in varying compositions, so that as many classmates as possible gain experience working together.

Tip 5: Develop rituals together

A ritual is a practice that recurs at a particular event. For example, greeting one another in a certain way when entering the classroom in the morning. Or always starting the morning with a story or a conversation. A ritual does a great deal; it provides familiarity and structure and gives students the opportunity to briefly break away from everyday life. Students remember such a moment, and it also strengthens the sense of community because they experience this moment together.

Tip 6: Build a warm relationship with your students

A warm teacher–student relationship promotes a positive atmosphere in the classroom and leads to more positive behavior among students. How can you get to know your students better during the Golden Weeks? Take the time and show genuine interest in every student: who are they, what is their family situation, what hobbies and talents does each student have, and what concerns them? Maintain an open attitude, listen above all and ask questions. Spending one-on-one time with your students and ‘praising’ them strengthens the relationship.

Tip 7: Emphasize positive behavior

By emphasizing positive behavior, you strengthen students’ trust in you as a teacher and prevent disruptive behavior in the classroom. When you identify desired behavior, you encourage students to repeat it, even when it concerns small things. Stimulating desired behavior is more effective than correcting undesired behavior. Therefore, give more compliments than negative criticism.

Of course, this does not mean that you may not set limits on undesired behavior, but do so in a way that preserves the relationship with the student. You can do this by setting limits on the behavior or language and immediately asking a follow-up question: “What is going on that makes you behave this way?” Show genuine interest and make it clear that you disapprove of the behavior, not of the student themselves. This sets clear boundaries and helps the student improve their behavior.

Tip 8: Set an example yourself

Students look to you as a teacher for an example. They observe your interactions with classmates and often adopt behavior from you as their teacher. Your own behavior therefore influences how students think they should behave. Set a good example in how you interact with one another, and also abide by the group agreements that have been made.

Tip 9: Get to know the parents

Every child has parents and/or caregivers, who fulfill the most important role in their lives. If you want to know the child, also invest in contact with the parents. Good cooperation between you and your students’ parents makes a positive contribution to children’s development. Investing in this partnership is therefore just as important as focusing on student activities. At the beginning of the school year, make personal contact with all parents, invest in getting acquainted and discuss mutual expectations.

Tip 10: Inform students about bullying and discuss where they can turn if they experience it

Bullying occurs in every school. Discuss with students what bullying is, what effects it has, what roles are involved and what they can do if they notice bullying. In addition, students need to know whom they can turn to at school if they are dealing with a bullying problem. They need to be able to trust that the bullying problem will be taken seriously. Therefore, make sure that the contact person for bullying is clear to both students and parents. For example, the internal confidential adviser could serve as the contact person.