Little Rock, AR

Rumble in the Jungle

The Action Team for Partnerships (ATP), teachers, and administrators identified some “rumblings” or challenges that needed to be solved to increase student learning and good behavior, improve family engagement, and strengthen the school’s welcoming climate.

Students felt some rumblings as they worked to solve social and emotional challenges at each grade level. Some students felt overwhelmed by schoolwork or uncertain about their skills. On a huge mural in the cafeteria, students listed challenges that disrupted their learning. They painted jungle plants and animals to illustrate their feelings and listed ways to increase their success in school. The mural—with its colorful jungle of challenges and solutions—became a place for family and community photos—a tribute to students’ creative thinking. Students learned African drumming techniques and step dancing to help relieve school tensions.

Families felt some rumblings as they worked to support their child’s learning and development at each grade level. They wanted more connections with teachers to feel more confident about how to help their child at home. Teachers felt some rumblings in focusing on goals to help student strengthen respect for one another and responsibility for schoolwork. They wanted to collaborate with parents to reinforce these behaviors at school and at home. Teachers and parents created a life-size mural on which they listed challenges and ideas to work better together to improve student learning and behavior.

Rumble in the Jungle made it easier to communicate with parents during the COVID-19 closure, as teachers and parents had already established their shared interests in helping students do their best in school.

See more about Rumble in the Jungle in Promising Partnership Practices 2020.