It's September and all of the classrooms have been working to articulate a way that they want to come together as a learning community. We are guided by Responsive Classroom practice and by Quaker process. Students and teachers spend days thinking about their hopes and dreams for the year, what they need to be successful students, and their dual roles in school.
Coming to consensus on these class guidelines is not easy work. We propose, we argue, we sift, and we reflect as each new idea is presented. Walk into any classroom during this process and you might see frustration, joy, compromise, serious discussion, and a great deal of personal sharing. You will see everyone involved in this very important work of creating community. You might hear young friends being encouraged to talk to their brains so that they can discover what they really think about an idea. Sometimes kids get stuck and sometimes they spend a considerable amount of time haggling over the wording. Just when the process feels stalled, someone envisions a way forward.
The time is well spent. Kids encounter the power of learning and creating in community. They are empowered by having to take ownership of this process. They are excited to share this tangible evidence of their budding classroom identity. We hope you enjoy reading these statements of identity written by the students of Lansdowne Friends School. (Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten are currently in the process of developing their rules.)
