Creating Classroom Community: How?

"Of all the things that count, nothing is as important as the people in the process. Teaching machines, microcomputers, programmed materials, distance learning, communication highways, and other technological advances may play an important role in education, but they cannot substitute for human relationships. Teaching is a way of being with people. This 'being-with' process has a great impact on students' ideas about themselves and their abilities."

Purkey and Novak, Inviting School Success

Part 2

Flow Foundations: What is a sense of community? Why

create a sense of community in schools?

Creating Conditions/Tools: What are the conditions for a sense of community to develop? How can the conditions help to establish a container for community building? What are some tools for making it happen?

Facilitator Knowledge

Application

Part 2: CREATING CONDITIONSWhat are the conditions for a sense of community to develop?

How can the conditions help to establish a container for community building?

What are some tools for making it happen?

Conditions for Creating a Sense of Community

Community building tools

The Best Workshop EverFacilitators

Be prepared

Lessons are interactive

Facilitate conversation & communicationBe engaging

Build in breaks and allow for sustenance

Turn cell phones off and present

Teach with purpose

Be playful and laugh

Be positive and encourage

The Best Workshop EverEveryone

One person talks at a time

Have an open mind and good attitude

Be positive and encouraging

Be on time

Be an active listener and respectful of others’ opinions

Cell phones off (except for need)

Appropriate and respectful language (be kind)

The Best Workshop EverEveryone

Be alert and present

Watch our sarcastic humor

You can only volunteer yourself

Be sensitive to differences and learning styles

Conditions for Community to Develop IntentionalityInvitational EducationTime

Safe and Trusting EnvironmentSafe EnvironmentRelational Trust

Balancing “Me” and “We”Empowerment (Me)Social Commitment (We)

Conditions for Community to Develop PositivityNurturing the PositivePositivity Ratio

OwnershipFocus (goal setting)3 R’s: Routines, Rituals, Responsibilities

Others?

IntentionalityInvitational Education – a Container Framework

Making time for relationships

Invitational Education

www.invitationaleducation.net

INVITATIONAL EDUCATION

INTENTIONALLY UNINTENTIONALLY

INVITING INTENTIONALLY INVITING

UNINTENTIONALLY INVITING

DISINVITING INTENTIONALLY DISINVITING

UNINTENTIONALLY DISINVITING

Staff’s Words Be direct and authentic.

Use ideas and words that engage children

Show faith in children’s abilities and intentions

Use concrete images and words children use and understand

Try using metaphors

Keep it brief

Know when to be silent

The Power of Our Words Teacher Language That Helps Children Learn

Relationship Building

Time

Teeth

Touch

Eye Contact

Listening

Safe & Trusting Environment

Safe EnvironmentRelational Trust

Physical/Emotional Safety Physical and verbal violence has to be addressed.

Ground rules and social commitments help in establishing boundaries.

Instances of harassment, hitting, etc. though, must also be dealt with quickly.

PREVENTION

INTERVENTION

INVENTION

PBIS Continuum and PII Approach

Relational Trust

Conclusions from Research by Anthony Bryk and Barbara Schneider

Schools reporting strong relational trust levels in 1994 were three times more likely to eventually improve in reading and math than those with very weak trust reports.

By 1997, schools with strong relational trust reports had a one in two chance of being in the improving group vs. a one in seven chance for schools with very weak relational trust reports.

From PowerPoint at Expeditionary Learning Schools Conference, 2010

Perhaps Most significantly... Schools with weak relational trust levels in 1994 and 1997 had

virtually no chance of showing improvement in either reading or mathematics.

From PowerPoint at Expeditionary Learning Schools Conference, 2010

Presence of relational trust was more

predictive of improvement than..

School size

Teacher educational/professional background

Percentage of new teachers

Average years of teaching experience

Racial & ethnic composition of student body

Poverty levels

Stability of student body

Prior school achievement

From PowerPoint at Expeditionary Learning Schools Conference, 2010