Definition of Community
A community is a group of people who are consciously committed to going beyond their personal biases,
attitudes, judgment and opinions to achieve a shared vision that would otherwise be impossible.
Members agree that the vision is worth the stretch. The truth of a community is beyond the words,
titles, and affiliations. It acknowledges discomfort, upset, and fears, as well as the longing and the love
that is deep within every human being.
“Community isn’t always synonymous with warmth and harmony. Politeness is often a veneer for
understanding, when in reality it masks uncovered territory, the unspeakable pit that we turn from
because we know the pain and anger that can dwell there.
It is important to remind ourselves that real community is forged out of struggle. This is the crucible
from which a real community grows”
-Linda Christensen
Adapted from: Reading, Writing, Rising Up: Teaching about Social Justice and the Power of the Written
Word: Rethinking School, 2000.
Purpose: Participants will explore how they use language to define and react to dilemmas and actions.
Team members will work together to sort a variety of sentence strips into four categories: Language of
Complaint, Language of Commitment, Language of Blame, and Language of Personal Responsibility
Note: The strips do not have to be in any particular order.
Explicitly express what we cannot do
Generates productive conversations
that lead to problem solving
Leave us feeling like a whiny cynical
person
Generates frustration
Hold other people responsible for
gaps between intention and reality
Raises questions for oneself
Explicitly expresses what we stand for
Generates vitalizing energy
Generates frustration and alienation
in the speaker
Leaves us feeling like a person filled
with conviction and hope
Transformational-anchors purpose
driven work
Transformational-directs our
attention to places where we have
minimal influence
Generates defensiveness in others
Non-Transformational-rarely goes
anywhere beyond letting off steam
Draws on momentum of our
commitments and goals
Non-Transformational-deflects our
attention to places where we have
little to no influence
Purpose: Participants will explore how they use language to shift how they define and react to
dilemmas and actions at their school sites. In part two, participants will determine how to shift
the “Language of Complaint, to the “Language of Commitment.” Then, as a team decide how to
move from the “Language of Blame” to the “Language of Personal Responsibility”.
Note: Each sorting strip has a one to one correlation
Language of Complaint
Language of Commitment
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
Language of Blame
Language of Personal Responsibility
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
Purpose: Team members will discuss what it means to change our discourse to replicate or
transform results and outcomes in our schools.
Discourse I
Singular Truth
Improve what exists
Techniques, methods, and “Best Practices”
Symptoms
Answers and solutions
Ability and merit
Limited time, ability and resources
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Discourse II
Multiple Stories
Changing something significant
Learning and relationships
Causes
Dilemmas and inquires
Privilege and oppression
Getting started anyway
How do we collectively define our discourse when it comes to:
1. Team Collaboration
2. Communication
3. School Improvement Goals
4. Problem Solving
5. Accountability
6. Collecting Data
7. Curriculum
8. School Schedules
9. School and District mandates
10. Coaching and Support
11. Professional Development
12. Tiered Initiatives
13. Climate and Culture/Discipline
Why should we re-examine our discourse in these thirteen areas?
(need more here related to DN model)
Reflection: Participants will discuss the feelings that emerged during the activity.
Note to facilitator: Connect the activity to an Excerpt from Roland Barth “The Culture Builder” ,
Educational Leadership vol.59, No.8, May 2002
Ice Breaker
Step 1: Think of an element of our model that you are now rethinking or reframing based upon
the previously attended sessions.
Step 2: Briefly describe the issue, how you have changed your thinking about it and why.
Step 3: Examine the photos provided and choose one photograph that represents that issue for
you.
Step 4: Be ready to share your thoughts with the full group, and the reason you selected the
photo.
*Photo cards needed.
Team Time??? (Possible flow)
Identify a goal or objective as from the schools STP. Subsequently each group will use the
criteria below to have a productive conversation on problem solving, capacity, and priority
Consider the following action and accountability criteria to identify your goal and objectives(s).
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Control: Does your team have control to change or address this goal or objective
Impact: How does this goal or objective impact the Diploma’s Now program?
Trend: Based on the data, is the goal likely to get worse, stay the same or get better?
What is the potential risk for not addressing it now?
Scope: What are the benefits of addressing this goal or objective? How many students,
teachers, or team members would benefit?
Priority and Urgency: How does the goal or objective fit within the Diploma’s Now goals
and pillars?
Practicality: What is the likelihood of success? Does your team have access to
resources? Is there expertise or guidance available to support this goal or objective?
Big Picture: To what extent will addressing this goal or objective prepare school teams
to think strategically beyond the current school year or post DN?
Accountability: How will addressing this goal or objective improve the implementation
and sustainability of the Diploma’s Now Model?
****Components of the STP can go here to have Principals and STF’s begin to think about the
new school year together. Possible time to reflect on the past year and areas of the finishing
strong plan to start strong for the 2013-14 school year********