Creating A Welcoming Classroom University Of Wisconsin Madison

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 30, 2025, 12:29 AM

creating a welcoming classroom university of wisconsin madison

Help every student feel included and engaged WIDA understands that multilingual learners might join your classrooms at any time during the school year. They arrive with a variety of cultural and linguistic experiences. While many learners were born in the United States, some may have several years of schooling in their home countries, some may have experienced interrupted schooling, and others may not have had the opportunity... As a teacher, you can provide an inclusive and nurturing classroom environment for all students. Here are some tips:

A welcoming classroom is about community and meaningful educational opportunities. By keeping these two ideas in mind, you can create an environment where students feel safe, visible and valued and where they are provided access to rigorous curriculum that engages and challenges them in... At the Wisconsin Center for Education Products and Services, we’re proud to collaborate with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to bring innovative educational tools and transformative professional learning experiences to educators around the globe. As a forward-thinking non-profit, our mission is simple but powerful: fostering successful classrooms where every student has access to quality learning. We’re passionate about creating research-driven products and services that spark lasting, positive change in both teaching and learning, helping educators make a real difference in the lives of their students and shaping the future... Mission: To extend the impact of UW's educational innovations and bring innovative and customized educational solutions to schools and districts, ensuring access for all educators and students.

Visit our Pathways website for more information about our products and services. See how WCEPS worked with UW partners to expand their impact and reach a larger audience. "WCEPS has been an invaluable resource in moving our CALL survey from a research project to a viable marketable product. Their ongoing commitment to our success and their support through product development, navigating the legal requirements of setting up a business, marketing and sales have been invaluable. I have no doubt that we would not have been able to pursue a successful transition from discovery to product without WCEPS' support!" Paula McAvoy, far end of table, checks in with a group of instructors during a session of The Discussion Project at the UW–Madison Education Building.

Photo by Brian Ebner On a recent morning before the start of classes this semester, 24 University of Wisconsin–Madison instructors gathered on campus to learn how they could improve the quality of the discussions that unfold in their... The training began with a question: What does a good discussion look like? “Lots of students are participating,” said one instructor. “The facilitator keeps moving the discussion along,” said a third. After visiting thousands of classrooms, the authors share a high-level overview of the common elements they’ve seen in rooms that hum with learning.

Creating that just right classroom environment is something all teachers strive to achieve. When we try to articulate what that specific environment looks and sounds like, what keeps coming up is the feel. We believe there is something that simply feels empowering, safe, joyful, rigorous, prepared, and passionate. Together, we’ve visited several thousand classrooms over many years, and here we compile a high-level list of what we have noticed in highly effective, welcoming classrooms. Appearances: Let’s start with the look of these classrooms. Student work is displayed to showcase their effort and learning progress.

A working wall features resources, sentence stems, subject-specific vocabulary with accompanying images, and anchor charts for easy reference during lessons. The classroom is organized, ensuring that everything has its designated space for easy access to supplies and materials—papers, books, folders, etc.—maintaining an open, clutter-free environment that reduces anxiety and promotes productivity. Students are grouped collaboratively to foster discussion, processing, and creation together. Motivational posters, quotes, and encouraging phrases decorate the walls. Lighting sets a high-expectation tone, especially in classrooms without windows where teachers use inexpensive mirrors with curtains to provide the appearance of a window. The teacher’s workspace is minimal or nonexistent, which helps to prioritize student focus.

Students take part in a computer class discussion in March 2017. Photo: Bryce Richter An engaging classroom discussion can be a beautiful thing—both a vital part of the learning process and a microcosm of the way we hope democracy functions. Yet a high-quality discussion doesn’t just happen, says UW–Madison educational researcher Paula McAvoy. It needs structure and planning. “As faculty and academic staff members, we often try to improve writing skills in our classes, but it is just as important to think of discussion as a skill that needs to be carefully...

The Discussion Project, a new professional development opportunity beginning this fall at UW–Madison, addresses that goal. It is intended to help UW faculty and academic staff members both facilitate high-quality classroom discussions and prepare their students to participate in them, says McAvoy, the project’s director and primary instructor. Build an organizational culture and climate that fosters engagement, inclusion, diversity, and equity. University Health Services (UHS) has added more than a dozen mental-health providers to its staff, including those with a focus on students of color and LGBTQ+ students. UHS has also expanded its hours of operation to increase access to its services, which include individual and group counseling and a 24-hour crisis line. UW–Madison is committed to creating an environment where all students, faculty, and staff feel a sense of belonging and can thrive.

The university launched a new Diversity Framework in 2015 and continues to track progress through a 10-year implementation plan called Affecting R.E.E.L. (Retain, Equip, Engage, Lead) Change for Diversity and Inclusion. The UW is dedicated to creating spaces where everyone can find community and feel welcome. The Multicultural Student Center manages cultural centers that offer community programming and supportive spaces, including the Black Cultural Center, Latinx Cultural Center, Asian-Pacific Islander Desi American Student Center, and American Indian Student and Cultural... UWell is the UW’s collaborative effort to advance the well-being of the entire campus community. The initiative focuses on policy, system, and environmental strategies that influence health and well-being outcomes.

UWell connects students and employees to campus and community resources and wellness events.

Creating A Welcoming Classroom University Of Wisconsin Madison

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