Community and the Individual
I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
-- Mother Theresa
The strength of collective decision making and political responsibility is not only a question of recognizing other people's ability. It is also recognizing one's own limitations.
-- Aruna Roy
As part of humanity, each of us is called to develop and share the unique gifts we are given.
-- Mollie Marti
It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is the interest of the individual.
-- Jeremy Bentham
It might seem a bit odd that I would include a page on a community-building website about individuals. But my thinking is this: the individual who knows himself - strengths, limitations, talents, means of contribution - is an individual who can enrich the lives of those around him. An individual who is in touch with him- or herself can capably be in touch with others.
In education, we think of this in terms of the student's wellness - if they have eaten, slept, made it to school okay, and have connections with their family and with friends, then we believe that student is capable of an enriching learning experience. As such, my aim in the classroom when I think of individual community building is to help students address those needs. I am not a therapist, nor do I make myself to be. But helping students acknowledge how they are feeling, and at the very least to build self-awareness, is a considerable first step towards individual community building.
Below, you will find strategies for individual community building.
In education, we think of this in terms of the student's wellness - if they have eaten, slept, made it to school okay, and have connections with their family and with friends, then we believe that student is capable of an enriching learning experience. As such, my aim in the classroom when I think of individual community building is to help students address those needs. I am not a therapist, nor do I make myself to be. But helping students acknowledge how they are feeling, and at the very least to build self-awareness, is a considerable first step towards individual community building.
Below, you will find strategies for individual community building.
Community and the Individual - Strategies
This is under construction as I complete my internship!
One strategy I intend to use daily is the following Daily Check-In Booklet which is shared between the student and myself. Students fill it in early in the morning as they enter the class. It gives each student a chance to calmly get into the class space, and share anything with me that might help me best tailor my instruction to them that day.
One strategy I intend to use daily is the following Daily Check-In Booklet which is shared between the student and myself. Students fill it in early in the morning as they enter the class. It gives each student a chance to calmly get into the class space, and share anything with me that might help me best tailor my instruction to them that day.
| morning_check-in_booklet.docx |
Scroll through the gallery below for more ideas!
