Each member has a role to play.

Teacher – Team teaching and staff communication are vital. Lead teachers should agree that a “Teacher’s Aide is Not a Maid”, but a partner in all facets of the learning. Teachers must:

• Understand and agree on the definition of the mission and its developmental nature
• Make parents aware of the mission through orientation, education, continuing communication, and involvement                                                                       
• Assure children that their membership in the community is important by encouraging them to participate, by actively listening to them and factually observing them, and by positively noticing their team input                                   
• Use community-building methods and techniques including modeling of cooperative, communicative, and positive attitudes and actions                                                 
• Offer daily experiences in small group and full group work and play                                                                       
• Offer daily experiences in group problem-solving                                                                                                     
• Encourage and give attention to cooperative behaviors while maintaining clear limits on harmful behaviors – We DO NOT Hurt Our Friends!                                                                                                                                                       
• Use “we” language, use meal times as “family style” dine-and-learn opportunities, and be creative in giving your community of learners a name

Parents – It makes the children feel (and learn) better to know that teacher and parents are in agreement and are making a coordinated effort.  Parents must:

• Take an active role in their child’s early education experience                                            
• Visit the community, volunteer time and talents to the community’s work
• Communicate openly and continuously about the progress of the mission
• Read and react to communication from the teacher
• Talk about the mission and its progress at home and encourage child participation
• Assure his/her child that there is a partnership between teacher and parent

Children – Obviously, there is a developmental limit to the process of assuring that the children know their roles in the process, but even older toddlers and twos can take part in teamwork activities like learning projects, clean up and ‘helper’ jobs, and when encouraged, give input on decisions about the work of the community.  Children must:

• Take part in learning experiences to the best of his/her ability                                                                
• Make efforts to developmentally acquire skills in cooperation, empathy, and respect for others in the community and for the purpose of the mission

Next Blog: Community 3 – A “How To”