Creating Classroom Community:
How?
"Of all the things that count, nothing is as important as the
people in the process. Teaching machines, microcomputers,
programmed materials, distance learning, communication
highways, and other technological advances may play an
important role in education, but they cannot substitute for
human relationships. Teaching is a way of being with people.
This 'being-with' process has a great impact on students' ideas
about themselves and their abilities."
Purkey and Novak, Inviting School Success
Part 2
Flow
 Foundations: What is a sense of community? Why
create a sense of community in schools?
 Creating Conditions/Tools: What are the conditions for a
sense of community to develop? How can the
conditions help to establish a container for community
building? What are some tools for making it happen?
 Facilitator Knowledge
 Application
Part 2: CREATING CONDITIONS
What are the conditions for a sense of community to
develop?
How can the conditions help to establish a container
for community building?
What are some tools for making it happen?
Conditions for Creating a Sense of Community
Community building tools
The Best Workshop Ever
Facilitators

Be prepared

Lessons are interactive

Facilitate conversation & communication
Be engaging

Build in breaks and allow for sustenance

Turn cell phones off and present

Teach with purpose

Be playful and laugh

Be positive and encourage
The Best Workshop Ever
Everyone
 One person talks at a time
 Have an open mind and good attitude
 Be positive and encouraging
 Be on time
 Be an active listener and respectful of others’ opinions
 Cell phones off (except for need)
 Appropriate and respectful language (be kind)
The Best Workshop Ever
Everyone
 Be alert and present
 Watch our sarcastic humor
 You can only volunteer yourself
 Be sensitive to differences and learning styles
Conditions for Community to Develop
 Intentionality
Invitational Education
Time
 Safe and Trusting Environment
Safe Environment
Relational Trust
 Balancing “Me” and “We”
Empowerment (Me)
Social Commitment (We)
Conditions for Community to Develop
 Positivity
Nurturing the Positive
Positivity Ratio
 Ownership
Focus (goal setting)
3 R’s: Routines, Rituals, Responsibilities
 Others?
Invitational Education – a Container Framework
Making time for relationships
Invitational Education
www.invitationaleducation.net
INVITATIONAL
EDUCATION
INTENTIONALLY
UNINTENTIONALLY
INVITING
INTENTIONALLY
INVITING
UNINTENTIONALLY
INVITING
DISINVITING
INTENTIONALLY
DISINVITING
UNINTENTIONALLY
DISINVITING
Staff’s Words
 Be direct and authentic.
 Use ideas and words that engage children
 Show faith in children’s abilities and intentions
 Use concrete images and words children use and
understand
 Try using metaphors
 Keep it brief
 Know when to be silent
The Power of Our Words Teacher Language That Helps Children Learn
Relationship Building
 Time
 Teeth
 Touch
 Eye Contact
 Listening
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.
PBIS Continuum and PII Approach
INVENTION
INTERVENTION
PREVENTION
Relational Trust
Conclusions from
Research by Anthony Bryk and Barbara Schneider
 Schools reporting strong relational trust levels in 1994 were
three times more likely to eventually improve in reading and
math than those with very weak trust reports.
 By 1997, schools with strong relational trust reports had a one
in two chance of being in the improving group vs. a one in
seven chance for schools with very weak relational trust
reports.
From PowerPoint at Expeditionary Learning Schools Conference, 2010
Perhaps Most significantly...
 Schools with weak relational trust levels in 1994 and 1997 had
virtually no chance of showing improvement in either
reading or mathematics.
From PowerPoint at Expeditionary Learning Schools Conference, 2010
Presence of relational trust was more
predictive of improvement than..
 School size
 Teacher educational/professional background
 Percentage of new teachers
 Average years of teaching experience
 Racial & ethnic composition of student body
 Poverty levels
 Stability of student body
 Prior school achievement
From PowerPoint at Expeditionary Learning Schools Conference, 2010