"Reform the environment. Stop trying to reform people. They will reform themselves if the environment is right.” ~ Buckminster Fuller Part 3 Creating Classroom Community: How?

Flow Foundations: What is a sense of community? Why create a sense of community in schools? Creating Conditions Intentionality, Safe & Trusting Environment Balancing Me & We, Ownership, Positivity Facilitator Knowledge Sequencing and Flow of activities Group Development Processing the Experience Application

Protocols for CCC Assume good intentions Ouch/Oops (Spinach in the teeth rule) Right to Pass Confidentiality

The Best Workshop Ever Facilitators Active and engaging forms of presentation and multiple ways of accessing information Be able to move around and do things Leave early if it makes sense More experiential and varied activities Purposeful work outside of class Help to coordinate food Ideas and materials useful for the classroom/setting

The Best Workshop Ever Everyone Sharing the air Put ups – encouragement, acknowledgement Look for the good and positive Keep it light Bring food Positive energy Make your learning needs known Watching our humor – especially sarcastic humor You can only volunteer yourself

Reflection Guiding Questions What do you need in order to delve into this question? Resources?

Facilitation In teaching physical education where my goal is to have students moving as much of the class time as possible, how much time can I spend on the discussion portion, which is so valuable in creating a caring classroom? ~ Phil How do we effectively influence and apply these principles to adult work situations? ~ Mary N. How can I refocus my energy and move beyond the narrow vision of community building in my school? ~ Karen I’m curious about the role of the facilitator – From leader to consultant. The satisfaction of seeing kids develop leadership and feeling empowered about their learning is the ultimate satisfaction as a teacher. How do you get a group to that point? ~ Catherine

Skills Development/Tools What are the problem solving strategies students can use that will help them grow academically, socially, and physically during community building activities? ~ Gerry What activities will support, enhance, kindness in our building? ~ Honer How do I (as a teacher) get my students to practice good participation? ~ Pam I want to create a “tool kit” to use when creating a caring classroom. I like to use the class routine as well as add something fresh, new, and interesting. I need activities/materials that are easy to use with little prep. Most of all, I need ideas that make an impact! Activities that let students know that as a visitor I can be trusted to make the time at school worthwhile ~ Anne

Struggling Groups How do you build community with a very mobile, damaged, and dysfunctional class? ~ Wendy How do I create (or start to create) community in a class of students who have many social, emotion, cognitive, and behavioral challenges? ~ Tom How can I apply this process and these activities to a class and population that is very mobile / nebulous / consistently angry, etc…..? ~ Pat I want to build a stronger classroom community… When to transition, especially when they are struggling? ~ Malisa

Integrating with Content What strategies/activities exist that allow teachers to integrate community building activities with academic lessons and standards? ~ Caroline How do I take the ideas and activities I’ve learned here and better tie in academic content for an overall integration? ~ ??? Can I have help creating purpose boards for creating a sharing classroom? Can I have help integrating these activities into my units? ~ Joman

Review FACILITATOR KNOWLEDGE SEQUENCE AND FLOW

Two Perspectives on Sequencing 1. Ice Melters 2. Deinhibitizers 3. Trust Activities 4. Problem Solving Initiatives 1. Challenges 1. Getting Acquainted 2. Learning to Trust and Support Each Other 3. Communication Skills 4. Setting Goals 5. Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution 6. Extensions

Review CONDITIONS FOR A SENSE OF COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP

Invitational Education – a Container Framework Making time for relationships

Physically and Emotionally Safe Environment Relational Trust

Conditions for Community to Develop Intentionality Invitational Education Time Safe and Trusting Environment Safe Environment Relational Trust Balancing Me and We Ownership Positivity

Empowerment “Me” Social Commitment “We”

Empowerment: “Me”

“Me” Topics Noticing vs. praising Challenge with choice vs. right to pass Competition Pseudo choice Other topics?

SOCIAL COMMITMENT: “WE”

The central message of the consumer culture in which we live is: You’re the most important thing on earth. You’re the heaviest object in the universe and everything orbits around you. And we’ve enshrined this idea as ‘human nature.’ Not remembering that most people in most places have had other things very near the center of their identity – the tribe, the community, their relationship with the natural world, or the Divine – something that gave them more of a sense of identity not obsessively rooted in themselves Bill McKibbon (Interview aired on May 26, 2007)

Focus (Goal Setting) The 3 R’s: Routines, Rituals, Responsibility

GOAL SETTING

The 3 ‘R’s Routines What are some routines you have in your classroom/school? Rituals What are some of your family, cultural, or personal rituals? What are some of your school traditions? What is a rite of passage you have experienced? Responsibility What do you in your classroom/school to engender responsibility toward self and others?

How can we set up the classroom so the students have the maximum ownership? Participation in classroom rule creation Classroom jobs Explicitly teach all routines and expectations (Wong) Small group work Independent tasks Choices

Positivity Ratio Nurturing the Positive

Reflections on the 10 Joy Gratitude Serenity Interest Hope Pride Amusement Inspiration Awe Love From: Fredrickson, B. (2009) Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive. New York, NY: Crown Archetype.

Positivity 1. Broadens our minds and our hearts 2. Transforms us for the better 3. Fuels Resilience 1. Asking questions and focusing outward (open to new ideas) 2. Connectivity and attunement of the team. More responsive to one another 3. Bouncing back from adversity rather than getting stuck in self-absorbed advocacy IndividualsGroups

Positivity Ratio The Tipping Point Flourishing = 3 to 1 “… only when positivity ratios are higher than 3 to 1 is positivity in sufficient supply to seed human flourishing.” (Fredrickson, 2009)

A Place for Negativity Specific negative emotions help us focus and take action (such as in resolving or transforming conflict). Global and unfocused negative emotions overwhelm and poison us. The difference between anger and contempt or guilt and shame

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “the other is good – he is joy, peace, love hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Reflections on the 10 Joy Gratitude Serenity Interest Hope Pride Amusement Inspiration Awe Love From: Fredrickson, B. (2009) Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive. New York, NY: Crown Archetype.

Conditions for Community to Develop Intentionality Invitational Education Time Safe and Trusting Environment Safe Environment Relational Trust

Conditions for Community to Develop Balancing “Me” and “We” Empowerment (Me) Social Commitment (We) Ownership Focus (goal setting) 3 R’s: Routines, Rituals, Responsibilities Positivity Nurturing the Positive Positivity Ratio

Group Development & Dynamics Facilitator Knowledge

Homework Artifact? Activity? What does choice look like in your setting? Positivity Ratio: Take the test.