Creating a Caring Classroom Community

Immaculate Heart of Mary

August 21, 2014

Laurie Frank, GOAL Consulting

For PowerPoint, activities, and handouts:

www.goalconsulting.org

Agenda Welcome/Introductions

Context: Why?

Intentional Community Building

How to Create a Sense of Community Teacher Focus Group Focus

Closing

Protocols for this Workshop

Assume good intentions

Spinach in the teeth rule(Ouch/Oops)

Right to Pass

Confidentiality

Others?

We are here

Think about students with whom you work.

Now think of them 20 years in the future.

What skills, qualities, and attributes do you want them to have 20 years from now?

• ACTIVE• AT PEACE• CARING• COMPASSIONATE• CONFIDENT • CONTRIBUTOR• CREATIVE• CRITICAL THINKER• EMPATHETIC • EMPLOYED• FORGIVING• GENEROUS • GET ALONG W/ OTHERS• GOOD COMMUNICATOR

• GOOD PARENTS• HAPPY • HEALTHY• HONEST • INDEPENDENT• INTEGRITY• LITERATE • LOYAL• MOTIVATED• PATIENT• PERSEVERENCE• POSITIVE ATTITUDE• PROBLEM SOLVERS• PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS

• RELIABLE• RESILIENT• RESOURCEFUL• RESPECT• RESPONSIBLE• SELF DIRECTED• SELF ESTEEM • SELF RESPECT • SELF SUFFICIENT• SENSE OF HUMOR• SUCCESSFUL • WELL-INFORMED

VISION

VISION

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

INTELLECTUAL DEVLEOPMENT

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

IHM Values

SERVICE TO OTHERS

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING

DECISION MAKING

RESPECT SELF & OTHERS

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITIES

REVERENCE OF THE HUMAN BODY AS A GIFT

FROM GOD

RELIGIOUS PROGRAM

Why a Sense of Community in a School Setting?

Creating a Sense of Community SUPPORTS

LEARNING

Learning & emotions are intertwined

(see amygdala)

Fight, Flight, Freeze

inhibits learning

Fear, embarrassment,

frustration, boredom…

…can trigger fight, flight,

freeze

High Support

High

Challeng

e

CONTAINER CONCEPT

Not all Containers are Alike

We Have Choices…We have Influence…

What are the qualities of the containers here?

How do we create a safe and inviting educational environment?

Two Paths that Merge

Teacher Focus Group Focus

Teacher Focus

Invitational Education

Actions based on beliefs

People, places, processes, policies, programs

Always evolving

INVITATIONAL EDUCATION

INTENTIONALLY UNINTENTIONALLY

INVITING INTENTIONALLY INVITING

UNINTENTIONALLY INVITING

DISINVITING INTENTIONALLY DISINVITING

UNINTENTIONALLY DISINVITING

Group Focused

Intentional

Creating the container, group dynamics

Teaching life skills, SEL, values

Sequential Process

Tools

Rules & Expectations

External

Enforced

Safety

Respect

General School/Community rules

Specific Classroom rules

Non-negotiable

Always in Place

Agreements & Contracts

Internal

Ownership

Rights

Responsibilities

Agreed Upon

Important to the GroupNegotiable

Open to Change as Group Evolves

Protocols for this Workshop

Assume good intentions

Spinach in the teeth rule(Ouch/Oops)

Right to Pass

Confidentiality

Others?

The Best Group Member Ever Be engaged, focused and present

Be positive, kind, and respectful

Use words that help or build respect

Hands, feet, to self

Get more involved

Be more supportive, and make constructive criticisms

Be engaged and

Open minded

Two Perspectives on Sequencing

1.Ice Melters

2.Deinhibitizers

3.Trust Activities

4.Problem Solving Initiatives

5.Challenges

1. Getting Acquainted

2. Learning to Trust and Support Each Other

3. Communication Skills

4. Setting Goals

5. Problem Solving and Conflict Resolutio

6. Extensions

CLOSING

VISION

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

INTELLECTUAL DEVLEOPMENT

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

IHM Values

SERVICE TO OTHERS

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING

DECISION MAKING

RESPECT SELF & OTHERS

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITIES

REVERENCE OF THE HUMAN BODY AS A GIFT

FROM GOD

RELIGIOUS PROGRAM

Go for it!Life lived gloriously...freelyNot sitting back and waitingbut reaching out to experience thejoys and sorrows questions and answersstruggle and victoryand everything in between.

Go for it!Not timidly, fearfullyinching into life’s watersbut plunging inwith courageand faithand hopeKnowing the freedom of total commitment.

Go for it!Rejoicing in the world around youthe people who share it...the God who made it.Go for it!

Go for it!Not isolated...alone, but livingand learningand growing with othersKnowing their support and sharing it with them.

Sharon Baack

Laurie FrankGOAL Consulting

+1-608-251-2234LSFrank@mac.comwww.goalconsulting.org