Building a Classroom Community

1. Building a Classroom Community • It really boils downs to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all directly. • Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Purpose and Objectives • Facilitate the setting of classroom standards that help create a respectful and supportive classroom community • Describe behaviours that promote a positive learning environment • Discuss ways to maintain classroom standards and consequences for not respecting them

3. To set classroom standards that help create a respectful and supportive classroom community

4. How can you make a difference? • The belief that one person can make a difference is the hope of the world. • Hubert H. Humphrey, former VP of the USA

5. What do you think “make a difference” means? • Who are some of the people making a difference in our community? • How are teenagers viewed in our community? • What might we do to reinforce the positive view of teenagers in our community?

6. Classroom Community • Syn- Greek prefix meaning together • Ergy-Greek ergon- means work • Synergy- work together • Iron can be turned into high quality steel by combining it with other metals such as nickel and copper. Each has different characteristics, but the combination is much stronger and durable than any of them alone

7. Group Activity • Notes: Write your name in the centre • A concern in the school or community • Someone you respect because of what s/he has done • Something you have done to help someone • A way others benefited from this person’s actions • Share your info with group members

8. Brief Discussion • What were some of the issues identified? • Who were some of the people named who made positive contributions? What did they do? How did their actions benefit others? • What are some ways people in this class have helped others?

9. Diversity in a classroom • What interests are shared by people in your group? • What are some different strengths or abilities members of your group bring to the class? • What advantages would there be if everyone in this community were similar/different? Problems?

10. Ideal learning environment • Think of a classroom environment where you would feel comfortable and respected, encouraged to learn and participate • Complete hand out, Standards of Behaviour • Large group sharing • These characteristics can serve as guidelines for standards of behaviour- a major step in building community

11. Standards of behaviour • Group work: Write 5 standards of behaviour that would bring about a positive learning environment and a sense of community to the classroom • Word in positive terms • Write a one sentence description of what you hope to accomplish with your standards • E.g. To make a place where everyone is respected, supported and treated fairly.

12. Gallery Tour • In groups go to each poster of standards • Copy down any standards you had not thought of in your group • Return to your poster and add these items • Combine similar standards • Delete any that are too specific • Final list of 5-7

13. Goal • Discuss the one sentence description of what you wish to accomplish with your standards • Write a single goal from all the descriptions

14. Maintaining Standards • Group work: Ways to help one another maintain the standards • Consequences for not doing so • The object of consequence is learning NOT punishment • When do you change a standard or add a new one? • Review weekly

15. Closure • How can these standards help reduce conflict in the classroom? • Sign list of standards to indicate agreement • Post in visible place • Each student gets a copy of the standards, the goal and the consequences • Complete Gives to Get handout

16. Cooperative Learnig • Groups of 10 • In 2 minutes arrange yourselves in the order of members’ birthdays, by year, month, day

17. Discussion • What problems did you encounter? • What were some ways people cooperated? • What would help you work together better next time?

18. Team Work • Stack of newspaper and roll of masking tape • Work together for 10 minutes • Build a freestanding bridge at least 1 ft (30 cm) high and 1 ft (30 cm) wide • Strong enough to hold a paperback book

19. Follow-up Activity • Behaviours of members that helped you work together • What slowed you down? • Read handout pages 28 & 29 • What similarities , if any, are there between our class standards and those that helped the groups work together?

20. Effective Groups • Safe, supportive environment that encourages people to get involved, share ideas and work cooperatively

21. Five Stages of Development • Page 29 handout some stages may last a day while others may take several weeks • Which stages has this class completed? • What might be ahead? • What skills do you think will be needed to deal with the next stages? • How can your listening skills help you cope with conflict?

22. Closure • Learning to work as a group takes time • Involves trying new skills, making mistakes, talking about what happened and trying again