We always “do Crew” at Anser, but during the pandemic our teachers have been limited in how they could safely seat students together for their morning crew meetings. So while the important work that students and teachers do during Crew has continued- the closeness and communal feeling of a close circle has been out of our grasp until this week! Circles are powerful for learning and building connection! In a  Crew circle, everyone place is equal and all members can see each other as they speak. In a Crew circle focus is easier to maintain as we all look inward to each other. When your Crew focuses on you, and listens to your words you feel seen- you feel important. When you gather in a Crew circle, a micro-community is made where everyone is included, valued and connected. The heart of our school is Crew, and this week it begins to look like we have remembered.

This week our Crew Leaders were also able to move their students back into collaborative seating! Collaborative seating enriches the classroom environment in so many ways. Anser is a collaborative learning, project infused school. Collaborative seating encourages group discussion, learning from your peers, supporting each other in learning, classroom behavior and creating a sense of belonging. We are thrilled to be able to restore this important practice in our school.