Building a Community of Belonging
I love history. I have a real keen interest in how everyday
people lived their lives in the past.
One aspect of those lives is schooling and I find the concept of the one
room schoolhouse intriguing. The idea of
a room full of multiage children learning together has its benefits. It was an opportunity to build community and
allowed older students to teach younger students; therefore, solidifying the
concepts in the older students’ minds.
The best way to learn is to teach.
I also realize that my thoughts are very likely tainted with a romantic
view of the past. The reality, I am
certain, was not as rosy. However, the
swing to the opposite side is also not healthy.
In modern schools, we tend to encourage same age interactions
exclusively. Each grade level becomes a
separate culture inside of a school. One
of our learning goals is to learn to belong to and live in community, creating
a single culture that celebrates diversity of gifts and talents as highlighted
in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
I saw a beautiful
example of community building earlier this week that highlights what we are endeavouring
to achieve. I walked into the
Kindergarten room to find a section of the Grade 7/8 band working with Mr.
Adams at the back of the room. They were
working on a piece of music that they are hoping to perform later this spring. Meanwhile, Mrs. Culp was working with a group
of JK/SK students at the front of the room.
The JK/SK students were preparing for their celebration of
learning. They are going to make and
perform with their own musical instruments.
As the Grade 7/8 students played, the JK/SK students were focusing on
what they heard and saw to integrate that knowledge into their work. Two teachers from opposite ends of the
building modeling collaboration and team-work.
Students working on grade level and age appropriate skills and
knowledge, but engaged in learning together.
This is community. This is
beautiful work.
