Students and faculty create a set of classroom guidelines for effective communication in person and virtually, with the goal of building inclusive, equitable and trusting learning environments.
LEARNING GOALS
Students will understand how to provide structures for participating in difficult classroom conversations. They will see the classroom environment as a space that they can help make more inclusive and equitable.
MATERIALS
- None
TIME
30 mins
Process
Mindwarmer
Step 1:
Show an opening statement about the purpose of community agreements. Choose from some of the resources here.
Step 2:
Present a draft of a set of agreements. Here is one. Share the document with students, by handing out copies or sharing remotely (via Google Docs, for example).
Exercise
Step 4:
Break students into groups of 2 or 3 (in person or online). Choose a scribe for each group.
Step 5:
Ask each student to think of a time in a class or workplace when they were challenged or hurt by something someone said, or they suspect they hurt or insulted someone with their speech or actions.
Step 6:
Turn and talk. Share the experience they thought of with their group. Discuss: How might agreements have helped in a challenging situation?
Step 7:
Add to the draft agreements one or two ideas that the group thinks would be helpful in the classroom. Consider: What are other guidelines you know about or have used that you would like to share with the class?
Step 8:
Return to the class as a group. Have scribes share out one or two ideas they generated. Add these to the group document.
Step 9:
Next class, consolidate the ideas and ask for feedback. Then, review the document at midterm and at the end of the class.
For more background and examples of classroom community agreements, see these resources from The New School.
Have questions? Feedback?
We’d love to hear about your experience using these activities in your classroom, get your thoughts on what we could improve. Email us at resources@journalismdesign.com or fill out this form.