For Critical Skills teachers, back-to-school is about more than organizing materials and planning lessons- it\u2019s also about figuring out the best ways to help kids get to know each other well, whether they\u2019ve been in school together for one day or a decade. Building the Collaborative Learning Community is the first and most important job the teacher has. We know that collaboration (not just cooperation) is the goal, that getting to collaboration requires trust, and that trust is predicated on knowledge. If we know each other well, we can plan together to best build on our individual gifts and to compensate for our challenges. We can solve problems- both curricular and social- by bringing our collective best selves to them. Who wouldn\u2019t want that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So we think about community builders that work for our particular brand of kids- the ones we don\u2019t know except by reputation and experience (if we\u2019re lucky). We think about past years and reflect on what worked and what didn\u2019t. We read new books<\/a>, search social media<\/a>, and watch videos<\/a> to get new ideas. We may plan on take-homes<\/a>, nam<\/a>e games<\/a>, look for more inclusive icebreakers<\/a>, or search for more content-focused methods<\/a> of connecting students to one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the thing, though- building a CLC is about more than those first days. It\u2019s bigger than a group juggle or two, more complex than partner introductions and All About Me bags. Building the CLC is about a whole series of choices we make- intentionally or less so- in preparing for those early days, from how we greet students each day and what we ask them to do in their first (and last) few minutes in the room, to the way we preview, practice, and review the systems we\u2019ll use all year. Think about it through the lens of the fabulous BFE<\/strong><\/em>\u2013 Best Formula Ever<\/strong><\/em> (thanks to Kim John Payne and his Center for Social Sustainability<\/strong><\/a> for this!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ready? Hold on to your hats because this is going to shake some things up in your classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High Social Complexity + Low Form Predictability = Stress Reactive Behaviors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take that apart a bit, shall we? It\u2019s particularly EduBabbly, I know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Situations in which relationships are unclear, changeable or unpredictable are Socially Complex<\/strong>. Uncertainty around social standing, appropriate behavioral expectations, and norms can create socially complex situations. Examples could include expectations around what students should where, specific rules about behavior and language as well as the ubiquitous \u201cWhere will I sit? Will anyone like me? Will the teacher be nice? Will I have friends this year?\u201d questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some situations, we are able to anticipate the sequence of events we will experience and the actions we are expected to take in order to be successful. Form Predictability<\/strong> is an indicator of the clarity of our understanding of what is about to happen. Examples of this include where to put coats and backpacks, where to sit, where to go for lunch, how to open a locker, and what the agenda for the day will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stress\/ Reactive Behaviors<\/strong> are reflective of the level of fear in any given situation. They are the fight, flight, flocking (clique), and freezing behaviors we often see in our classrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n