Community And Class Meeting

I've written numerous times about how Class Meeting is probably my favorite community builder in the classroom.

It has a crazy cumulative effect!

{Sometimes it's hard to remember this at the beginning of the process!}

This week one outstanding meeting focused around the topic of honesty.  {I love how honest kids are!}

We quickly decided that there are 2 main reasons people are dishonest:

1.  To avoid getting in trouble
OR
2.  To get other people in trouble

{I wondered if perhaps grown ups might need to be reminded of this.}

I'm also a bit surprised that some students already say class meeting is their favorite part of the day.

Our format is super simple:

Students can bring healthy snacks
We face each other
We talk, greet, problem solve, question, etc.

All this takes place in about 15 minutes, and then we go on with our day.

What are you doing to build or strengthen community this year?

Creating Community

I decided last Spring that I really wanted COMMUNITY to be a focal point in our classroom.  Earlier in the week one student pointed out that a lot of classmates had converse.  When I said I had hot pink converse, another student said we should all wear them on one day.  Yesterday was our official wear converse day.

And so begins the subtle and sublime community building.  I feel a little sneaky because I'm not yet talking much about community, but it's happening already by nature of the classroom climate and environment.

Sometimes I think I try to force that kind of stuff, and then it just feels contrived.  {Kids always see through that, too!}  I'm trying to let it just unfold naturally--with a few gentle nudges!

Belonging is one the four core values in the Circle of Courage.

We are also holding daily class meetings--which I believe is one of the simplest power tools in my teacher kit.  It's just 15 minutes of character development, problem solving, discipline, and habits of kindness.  I'm taking an intuitive approach to this--what do I think or feel that we need..

What are you doing to begin the creation of community where you are?


ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, TOO?

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~Retreat with other Brave Teachers--September 28 - 30, 2012, in Lakeside, Ohio

I Need Your Help

I need your help. Those are not words children often hear adults say to them, but I said those exact words to my students this morning. I think many of the things I say just go in one ear and out the other, but they didn't know what to do with this one.

I told them I needed their help, because I wasn't very good at one part of my job. They just stared at me or looked down. I told them how I thought the no talking plan we agreed to was fantastic, and I love buying trinkets for our red box (which once held pastries from Italy). But I'm not good at the taking away the paper pencil that determines if you earned a trinket. And it didn't feel fair to me for the students who weren't developing self control to receive the same reward as those who are working hard to find self control. They agreed it doesn't feel right.

They just looked at me. I said, "No. Seriously. I really need your help. I'm no good at this." Finally someone suggested that instead of taking away the pencil, I could give them out. Hmmm. That feels so much better to me.

We voted.

Not everyone agreed it was good. And then there was a moment when I asked what didn't feel good, and one child said that he only talked when someone talked to him. And without missing a beat another child said, "But that is the self control part that's hard for everyone." Wow! I don't know if that moment was lost on the other child, but it wasn't lost on me.

What comes out when people are honest with other people--regardless of age or level of authority or income or education. It was incredible! And we have come to an agreement that everyone can feel good about. I asked for help, and I received it from 9 and 10 year olds. That feels respectful and honest and real and quite educational.