Getting to Really Know Each Other Through Inquiry: Activity with Staff and Students
We need to make sure our kids know that we care about them and that students care about each other.
– Courtney Spelber
INTRO
This activity was shared by the former principal of Oceanview High School, Courtney Spelber (Huntington Beach Union High School District), in a Crowdsource Webinar on January 19, 2023.
Before your school’s culture, Shared Identity, and Vision for Readiness can be realized, the members of your school community need to feel like they are seen, valued, and cared for as individuals, as well as to feel like integral citizens who are vital to the success of the team (school). This activity empowers individuals to identify what they want to know about their community members and what they want their community to know about them. Discovering our similarities and differences, successes and struggles, helps us all bond and contribute as a unique community.
OBJECTIVES
- Through inquiry, you will be solving the problem of discovering: Who are your class/staffmates?
- Foster a sense of caring and togetherness on your campus
STUDENT ACTIVITY
Through inquiry, you will be solving the problem of discovering: Who are your classmates?
- In order to solve this problem, you will:
- Be grouped into triads or quads with each group representing a different category: culture, hobbies, belief system(s), emotional state(s), living situation, future goals, wildest success aspiration, biggest fears/regrets, favorite music(ian)/sport/athlete
- As a group, create (3) open-ended questions (in relation to your category) that will encourage a meaningful response from your classmates
- As a group, choose the best question of the three, and write it down on a post-it note, and submit it
- In return, choose one of the post-it notes submitted by another group, and then take turns in your group sharing your personal response to the question
- Be prepared to share out with the whole class
STAFF ACTIVITY
Through inquiry, you will be solving the problem of discovering: Who are your staffmates?
- In order to solve this problem, you will:
- Be grouped into triads or quads with each group representing a different category/categories: culture, hobbies, belief system(s), emotional state(s), living situation, future goals, wildest success aspiration, biggest fears/regrets, favorite music(ian)/sport/athlete
- As a group, create (3) open-ended questions (in relation to your category) that will encourage a meaningful response from your staffmates
- As a group, choose the best question of the three, and write it down on a post-it note, and submit it
- In return, choose one of the post-it notes submitted by another group, and then take turns in your group sharing your personal response to the question
- Be prepared to share out with the whole group
TIPS
- Depending on the class/staff size, each group may need to be responsible for multiple categories and create/answer multiple questions
- Little Things, such as the above activity, are smaller efforts you can do tomorrow, or within the next week.
Responses