How to Build Classroom Community with a Simple (Digital) Student Survey | Back to School Resource

Warning: This is not your typical Back-to-School “All About Me” student activity. This is MUCH more simple, YET will allow you to strategically build and foster your classroom community from Day 1 of the school year! 

I kind of stumbled upon this gem of a Back to School resource and/or activity by accident. When I first began creating this Google form to act as a survey, I only had one goal: I wanted a database of various tidbits of information about each of my middle school students that I could refer back to at anytime throughout the school year. After implementing it for a few years in my middle school classroom (ELA/History and the AVID elective) and tweaking it each year, I finally ended up with a “super tool” that has led to a greater classroom community and connection with each and every student that has walked through my door! 

Ready to learn how to implement and use my Back to School Student Survey? Let’s GO! 

First of all, find the resource here [Back to School Student Survey]. I will warn you, the resource is SIMPLE. It’s literally a google form that prompts students with questions to answer about themselves! But the magic lies in how YOU, the teacher, uses the information to create a thriving classroom community from the first day of school and BEYOND! 

1. Create a copy of the “Back to School Survey” form by clicking on the link provided. You now “own” this copy and can edit it to your liking! Literally delete any questions you don’t want your students to answer AND add any/all types of questions that you want! 

Pro Tip: I would take a few minutes to think about anything that you would like to know specific to your classroom

• Have you already assigned a specific device to your students? Create a question that asks them for their device number so you can have the data in your future spreadsheet (that I will show you how to generate)

• Do you use a certain “identification” system in your classroom like assigning a number to a specific student? Maybe consider creating a question that has them input their number so it can be added to the spreadsheet as well.

2. Using the share link, send yourself an email with the link to the survey and complete it yourself. 

PRO TIP: You can always delete your responses from the spreadsheet but this will allow you to look for typos and/or errors in your Back to School Student Survey BEFORE you put it in front of students! (How many times have we sent things out too fast to students and then are bombarded with questions about typos and confusion? UGH #facepalm)

Watch my tutorial: How to make changes to your Back to School Student Survey

3. After making any desired changes to the survey, it’s time to get it out to your kiddos! Post the link in any digital space that your students will be able to access it and VIOLA! You’re about to receive more information about each of your students than you’ll know what to do with! 

Okay… so now you have all of these survey responses from your new students. How do you use this information to build a classroom community and strengthen your connection with each of your students?

I will explain that in detail in my next post!

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