I’ve gotten into the practice of  inviting community members to join my elementary class for activities throughout the year. It’s energizing for me, our visitors and the kids – and it’s taught me the importance of thinking big and modeling a sense of possibility for all my students. 

It’s so important to remember that children, no matter where they come from, are limitless in their potential – and they deserve to feel that way! Bringing community members into our classrooms provides a special, two-way opportunity: to share a sense of possibility with the kids and to give our visitors a glimpse of that limitless potential so we can continue to open doors for all our young people at the elementary level and beyond.

How it first happened was a surprising success. We had just returned to the classroom after the peak of COVID-19, and we were exploring the work of Black poets. I wanted to do a virtual poetry slam with the kids, and I knew that Nikki Giovani had a book of poems for young children. So I found her email at Virginia Tech and sent a request inviting her to join our class over a Zoom call. A couple of days later, her assistant responded saying, “Sure! What day?” The zoom was filled and even our district leaders joined. All of the students and teachers dressed as poets and it felt like a whole experience, all from our homes. 

I almost didn’t believe it! But time after time, people from all walks of life have shown up enthusiastically to share their time and talents with my class. Now, I can clearly see how this kind of involvement helps every student embrace their own potential. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way to make this outreach – and fun, relevant activities – a consistent part of my practice year-round. 

1. You don’t have to know everything

I love creativity, and I love learning. That means I’m very aware that I can’t be an expert in everything. And that’s great! Leading with curiosity has made it easier to connect with more community members over time. Now that I’m in the practice of reaching out, it takes less and less time to connect with people – whether they’re  doctors, veterinarians or renowned poets! 

2. Reach outside your teacher network

My brother is a chemist. He has never been a classroom teacher, but he’s always a great sounding board for my ideas. When I’m planning an activity, even if it doesn’t directly connect with chemistry, I’ll bring my ideas to him and we’ll talk it through together. His excitement and creativity always matches mine and helps strengthen my final plans. 

3. Don’t be afraid to think big

The truth is, the response is rarely a “no.” It might take a few emails to connect with the right person, but generally, people are excited to visit my classroom, share their experience and see what our kids can do. 

4. Community matters at every age 

As they move up to the older grades, there can be more opportunities for mentorship. The activities might be different, but I’ve seen how motivated our community members are about making a positive impact and how inspired they are by working with our kids. 

Then, we had our own school nurse come in to talk about phlebotomy and invited community members to visit our class to be the kids’ patients. And, as an extra touch of care, we made sure to have bandaids that could match everyone’s skin. 

I’m looking forward to continuing to create these experiences for our kids with the help of community members. What could thinking big – and sending a few hopeful emails – mean for your classroom?