By Kim Murray

I am an early elementary teacher at Hope Technology School in the Bay Area, and I would like to comment on the social learning opportunities that the students have in my inclusive classroom. Our school has adopted the TRIBES learning process developed by Jeanne Gibbs. Within this process, students learn as a community in whole group and small “tribes”, sometimes pairs & triads. Students get to do projects and engage in learning activities in different kinds of academic areas. Our class follows a set of agreements called “Community Agreements”, which are very different from a set of rules (do’s and dont’s).  1. Attentive Listening; 2. Mutual Respect; 3. The Right to Pass; 4. Appreciations, No Put Downs. I personally love these agreements because they encompass all that my students need in order to become an effective community of learners, and ultimately take part in meaningful learning. At Hope Technology School we have learners with a variety of special needs such as autim or learning differences together with students without special needs. Incorporating TRIBES, we include all kinds of learners with their various needs and strengths and provide a safe and caring environment, where students become responsible for themselves and each other. Students are free to participate or share in the learning process to the extent they are comfortable. The teacher is not guiding learning, nor is any one student “assigned” a role. A time of reflection is given at the end so students may share their feelings, give appreciations & comment on discoveries about the learning that took place.

Students are reinforced for keeping these agreements by earning recognition & rewards (both individual prizes and whole-class privileges). I believe this reinforcement helps them make the connection that they are increasing these great learning opportunities for themselves & each other. The students feel so proud that they have worked together & learned together!