Tolerance: Tolerance of each other's differences will be expected in a pluralistic society. Teaching and learning of various cultural, religious, and family value differences will be part of the fabric of the classroom society.
Focus on job: The main focus of all will be to get the various jobs done, though fun will be encouraged and time for conversation and games will be part and parcel of the day.
Homework done: Individual, meaningful homework will be given and expected to have students practice on their own, to tie teaching to real life, and to be a focus for part of the ongoing work.
Listen: Each participant will be expected to listen carefully to each other. This will be modeled and practiced and expected as an on-going principle.
See other points of view: Students with varying views will be given a time to express those, with preparation. Discussion of them will be a routine process. Various students may be expected to articulate them, in order to demonstrate full understanding of one another.
No name calling: Obvious, but completely expected. This is absolutely not tolerated.
Praise when applicable: Not nonsensical "feel good" praise, but genuine praise for work or actions well done should be practiced as often as possible without becoming meaningless.
Expectations defined: All expectations will be clearly defined, generally as the situation arises, without preconceived notes hanging from the wall somewhere. They are to be lived and practiced, not stagnant words. They will be learned and internalized, not memorized.
Recognize similarities: The many fundamental similarities of students both in the class and around the world will be studied and understood, starting with food, water, shelter, and clothing, graduating to accepted medicine attention and access to full education.
Discussion to resolve differences: When differences arise, appropriate discussions will take place, often moderated, but sometimes not. Intervention will be provided when students can't work out difference and come up with solutions.
Friendship: While not everyone is expected to be everyone's best friend, attempts will be made to make friends. Ways to make friends will be discussed, written about, studied, modeled.
Helping hands, many hands, will be anticipated to make light work. Such as cleaning the classroom, scoring papers, reviewing mistakes, discussing solutions to problems, choosing relevant curriculum that is relevant and also consistent with intelligent board policy.
Civility: Basic civility to one another will be expected. Ties into dignity and kindness, compassion and empathy are included here.
Minimum effective punishment: When things go awry, minimum effective punishment will be applied. The range will be something like verbal correction, to bb guns to nuclear weapons (figuratively speaking, but as demanded). Great sensitivity will be given to what is a particular MEP for a given situation. This might be considered an "Order of punishment escalation," until the lesson is learned.
In Rules For Radicals, Saul Alinsky argued, basically, "But they've got the guns." Yes, they do, so we have to be smarter than the Ruling Class, and I think that can be done; indeed, many folks on this and other sites are already writing about that, often prolifically. I will try to keep this series focused on what "Running the World as a Classroom" might look like--and argue that it could work (Warning: I make no promises on the output rate here, but I'll get to it as I can).
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