Assume Good Will: Our Guidelines for Class Community -- a work in progress

Class Community Guidelines -- Critical Issues in Education, Spring 2014

Give others and expect from others permission to change our minds

Get to know people more –  gain a context for their view points

Recognize our different backgrounds

Respect differences of background and perspective

 Give and get help stepping beyond comfort zone 

Learn names 

When people have different strengths, no one person has to carry the whole group

 NOstuesso: No one speaks twice until everyone speaks once

Keep an open mind

I don’t always believe everything I say, everything is subject to change

Organize a debate – get permission – expected to disagree

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand

Sometimes silence is okay in a group discussion – we can trust the process

I learn best through argumentation

Assume good will

There’s a reason behind what you say

Be more curious about each others’ experience and respect different opinions

People are real – let others know what you are thinking/feeling and what is going on

Be allowed to make mistakes, especially language ones

When you give criticism, be constructive

Know everyone is listening, value what they are saying – show you have heard what others are saying

Step up, step down – take turns being a leader

Don’t avoid silence – let ideas marinate

Use small group ideas – work through ideas

We have different ideas – it’s easy to take things personally, we are here to learn

Questioning each other helps us grow

Allow quiet time to reflect