The Container Concept: Conditions for Creating a Sense of Community Stillwater Area Public Schools August 2015

Agenda/Flow Introduction/Context Mission: What is a sense of community? Vision: Why create a sense of community? Strategies: – Conditions for creating a sense of community – Sequencing/Flow of the process Closing

INTRODUCTION/CONTEXT We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time -T.S. Eliot

Protocols Assume good intentions Spinach in the teeth rule (Ouch/Oops) Right to Pass Make it work for you Others?

CONTAINER CONCEPT

Not all Containers are Alike

We Have Choices… We have Influence… What are the qualities of your container(s)? How have you & others felt/operated in healthy containers? Unhealthy containers?

Mission: What is a Sense of Community?

From Group to Community “In genuine community there are no sides. It is not always easy but by the time they reach community the members have learned how to give up cliques and factions. They have learned how to listen to each other and how not to reject each other. Sometimes consensus in community is reached with miraculous rapidity. But at other times it is arrived at only after lengthy struggle. Just because it is a safe place does not mean community is a place without conflict. It is, however, a place where conflict can be resolved without physical or emotional bloodshed and with wisdom as well as grace. A community is a group that can fight gracefully.” M. Scott Peck M.D. The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace

Thomas Sergiovanni states that “the need for community is universal. A sense of belonging, of continuity, of being connected to others and to ideas and values that make our lives meaningful and significant -- these needs are shared by all of us.”

“The people in one’s life are like the pillars on one’s porch you see life through. And sometimes they hold you up. And sometimes they lean on you, and sometimes it’s just enough to know they’re standing by.” Anonymous

Community is consciousness of connection, combining and comprising: Courtesy, communication, collaboration, cooperation, consideration, caring, compassion, curiosity, commonalities, common goals, confidence, creativity, courage, challenge, camaraderie, and conceivably chocolate. CTC Group, 2004

"… a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members' needs will be met through their commitment to be together.” ~ McMillan & Chavis, 1986

Vision: Why Create a Sense of Community?

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

"Many of those personal qualities that we hold dear—resilience and courage in the face of stress, a sense of craft in our work, a commitment to justice and caring in our social relationships, a dedication to advancing the public good in communal life—are exceedingly From: Alexander, L. & James, H.T. (1987) The Nation’s Report Card: Improving the assessment of student Achievement. Washington, DC: National Academy of Education. difficult to assess. And so, unfortunately, we are apt to measure what we can, and eventually come to value what is measured over what is unmeasured. The shift is subtle and occurs gradually.”

Creating a sense of community… SUPPORTS LEARNING 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

Fundamental Elements of Brain-based Teaching & Learning Caine, et. al. Brain/Mind Learning Principles in Action Relaxed Alertness: Creating the optimal emotional climate for learning Orchestrated Immersion in complex Experience: Creating optimal opportunities for learning Active Processing of Experience: Create optimal ways to consolidate learning

Creating a sense of community… PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Through FOSTERING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT Creating a sense of community… PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Through FOSTERING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Retrieved from: Security Esteem Belonging

Supports Social Emotional Learning (SEL) See

Bullying – More than a label “A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students.” ~ Dan Olweus

Social-Ecological Framework Pain Fear Adult attitudes School climate

Pre-Bullying 1.Behavior that, if escalated, could become bullying. 2.Norms that set the stage for bullying if the behavior becomes intentional, consistent, and abusive (e.g. sarcastic humor, put downs, unconscious and/or unchallenged use of derogatory terms)

Strategies: Conditions for Creating a Sense of Community

Elements of Sense of Community Membership Influence Integration & Fulfillment of Needs Shared Emotional Connection McMillan & Chavez

Conditions for Community to Develop Intentionality Safe and Trusting Environment Balancing “Me” and “We” Ownership Positivity Others?

INFLUENCE Safe & Trusting Environment Intentionality Balancing “me” & “we” Ownership SHARED EMOTIONAL CONNECTION INTEGRATION & FULFILLMENT OF NEEDS MEM BERS HIP Positivity

Intentionality is Key Presenting activities do not, in themselves, guarantee the attainment of lifelong learning and skills. The more intentional and systematic we can be, the more possible it is to achieve what we wish to achieve.

Invitational Education – a Container Framework Making time for relationships

Invitational Education

Examples of Tools Community Meetings Greeting people when they arrive Activities Curriculum & lessons Books, movies, internet Rules and norms Traditions Peace Circles Bulletin Boards and signage

INVITATIONAL EDUCATION INTENTIONALLYUNINTENTIONALLY INVITINGINTENTIONALLY INVITING UNINTENTIONALLY INVITING DISINVITINGINTENTIONALLY DISINVITING UNINTENTIONALLY DISINVITING

Safe Environment Relational 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.

Relational Trust

SEQUENCING 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

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)

Rules & Expectations External Enforced Safety Respect General School/Community rules Specific Classroom rules Non-negotiable Always in Place

Agreements & Contracts Internal Owned (co-created) Rights Responsibilities Agreed Upon Important to the Group Negotiable Open to Change as Group Evolves

Rules vs. Agreements External Enforced Safety Respect Internal Owned (co-created) Rights Responsibilities

Rules vs. Agreements General School/Communi ty rules Specific Classroom rules Non-negotiable Always in Place Agreed Upon Important to the Group Negotiable Open to Change as Group Evolves

People Talents/Gifts Ideas Insights Inspiration Life Experience Family Beliefs & Ideals Values Theories & Models People Talents/Gifts Ideas Insights Inspiration Life Experience Family Beliefs & Ideals Values Theories & Models What Guides You? What shows you the way? How have you added to your cairn so far at this conference? How have you added to your cairn so far at this conference? 57

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?

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.”

I am because we are Yo soy porque nosotros somos 私たちがいるので、私は Ako mao tungod kay kita 我是因为我们 हम कर रहे हैं क्योंकि मैं कर रहा हूँ Mimi ni kwa sababu sisi ni

Laurie Frank GOAL Consulting To download this PowerPoint, please go to my website: