Should Groups Set Their Own Norms? Maybe Not

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Should groups set their own norms? Maybe not

By Joyce Lin and Ayanna Perry

Categories: Collaboration, Equity, Facilitation, Fundamentals, Implementation, Learning communities, Learning designs

When a new community forms, whether it’s an elementary school class or a teacher inquiry group, co-constructing norms or community expectations is often one of the members’ first tasks. The common rationale for this approach is that it builds community and creates buy-in (Allen & Blythe, 2015; Lakey, 2010). Although we don’t disagree with the value of those benefits, our work in cultivating learning communities of beginning high school math and science teachers has shown us that the co-construction approach can also be challenging and problematic because it typically generates norms consistent with dominant perspectives and cultures. We advocate that norms should be given to (rather than created by) a newly formed community to elevate the different needs, goals, and perspectives of all team members,

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References

Allen, D. & Blythe, T. (2015). Opening the meeting. In Facilitating for learning: Tools for teacher groups of all kinds(pp. 32-43). Teachers College Press.

Breidenstein, A., Fahey, K., Glickman, C., & Hensley, F. (2012). Leading for powerful learning. Teachers College Press.

Lakey, G. (2010). Facilitating group learning: Strategies for success with diverse adult learners. John Wiley & Sons.

McDonald, J., Mohr, N., Dichter, A., & McDonald, E. (2013). The power of protocols: An educator’s guide to better practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

National School Reform Faculty. (2014). Setting agreements activity. www.nsrfharmony.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SettingAgreementsW-Examples_0.pdf

Sensoy, O. & DiAngelo, R. (2014). Respect differences? Challenging the common guidelines in social justice education. Democracy and Education, 22(2), 1-10.