+ Laurie S. Frank“Community”… is a place in which students feel cared about and are encouraged to care about each other. They experience a sense of being valued and respected; the children matter to one another and to the teacher. They have come to think in the plural: they feel connected to each other; they are part of an “us.” – Alfie Kohn

+A Little About Laurie S. Frank A former school teacher

She has worked in the adventure and experiential education field for 30 years

While she was working as a teacher, she found that school settings were missing the curtail aspect of a community atmosphere

She believes that the adventure philosophy is a perfect way to achieve the goal of a community atmosphere in the classroom

+ Laurie is currently the owner and director of GOAL Consulting

GOAL Consulting works with people of all ages to create environments where everyone is invited into the process of working and learning together

In 2004 Laurie Wrote Journey Toward the Caring Classroom, an Experiential Approach to Creating Community in Schools

This book includes Laurie’s thoughts, inspirations, and goals for classrooms that embark on the wonderful journey of creating a community atmosphere in their classroom

+Why Community Building?

“My first year was spent “controlling” the students. If there was a problem, I was there in light speed,

directing traffic, telling kids what to do and how to do it. By the end of the year, the students left the way they had come: no wiser about dealing with their feelings or treating themselves and others with

respect. I had done it all for them, achieving the goal of a quiet room, which looked good from the outside, but accomplished very little for those who mattered most.”

-Laurie S. Frank

+What Laurie Focuses On

Community Building

Collaborative Leadership

Experiential Education

Laurie's passion is to facilitate human interaction, and to create environments where everyone is empowered

“Imagine a classroom where students and teachers are partners in learning. Students are not simply engaged in the learning process, but excited about it. This is a

classroom where it is safe to make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes. In this classroom, learning is not seen as smooth and simple. It is regarded as messy,

sometimes loud, and often the result of a struggle. Grappling with concepts, theories, algorithms, writer’s block, and fear of giving a speech are ways in which students

push the edge of their comfort zones toward knowledge and understanding. In this place learning is considered an act of risk taking and the community of learners

supports each individual who takes the necessary risks to learn.” –Laurie S. Frank

+Laurie believes that there is a “sequence” in creating a cohesive and successful community in the classroom…

Photo Taken from and Credited to Laurie Frank from her book, Journey Toward the Caring Classroom

+Cooperation

1st Stage: Group is just learning about each other

Goal is to produce an atmosphere where people can work together without competition.

Encouragement is consistently reinforced.

Breaks the ice so isn’t any “judging a book by it’s cover”

Ice Breaker and other “Aquaintance-building” Activities

+Trust

In order to be able to be in this second stage, “students need to feel included, can work together, and can encourage without humiliating each other,” (Frank 26).

Students need to feel comfortable making mistakes with out feeling “put/down”

Members learn how to take risks with each other, so they build a sense of trust among the group.

+Problem Solving

Group’s “Foundation” has been formed.

Group tackles first attempts of accomplishing goals.

Begin decision-making, leadership, and conflict resolution.

Each individual begins to take ownership in accomplishing goals, (individual and group).

Communication becomes complex

More prone to conflict

Individual challenges are necessary so they are prepared for group challenges.

+Challenge

At this point, members struggled with conflict, solved problems together, and met group goals.

Group Cohesion/True Community

Feels “safe” to be together, yet apart.

Individual and Group states their needs and asks for help.

Individuals set goals, and mutual support is given.

Have and continue to experience success and failure.

Community offers feedback to individuals.

+Essence of this Sequence

Step by Step, yet allows “room” for both progression and regression.

Normal to cycle through hard times, and great times, and hard times again.

Through challenges, learn new things about people and the experience.

It’s a journey!

+Jon Dewey’s Influence

Advocated a process-oriented approach

Education consists of a continuity of developing experiences 

Experiences are connected, as opposed to interacting with subject matter in isolation

+Kurt Hahn’s Influence

Outward Bound

Proven methods that teach to the whole person, and his unwavering belief that individuals are members of a larger community. 

“Believed that education should cultivate a passion for life and that this can be accomplished only through experience, a shared sense of moment in the journey toward an exciting goal." 

+David Kolb’s Influence

Experiential Learning Cycle

Each phase of the cycle plays to different strengths and learning styles

Cycle meets a variety of needs, and taps into different learning methods