Introduction
According to the National Board, “Any community—urban, suburban, or rural; wealthy or poor—can become a laboratory for learning under the guidance of an accomplished teacher. Accomplished teachers need not teach alone” (p. 38, 2016). Teachers should be able to engage with the local community to enrich learning and to practice meaningful cultural responsiveness. To see more about the benefits and rationale of mentor and volunteer engagement see Adaptable Methods: Involving Mentors and Volunteers.
We recognize that finding additional time to bring community members into the classroom may be challenging for teachers who already have so much to do. However, students, teachers, and community members sharing spaces where they can “dare to imagine different social arrangements and instantiate new communitarian configurations” (Rivera-Servera, 2012 p. 35) is key.
Besides connecting students with local community initiatives as they form or occur (e.g. student advocacy groups, public dialogues about education), Humanities Amped draws community resources from a variety of contexts including through connections to local universities, from the school’s alumni center, and in partnership with local organizations. Once connected with the students, individuals serving as mentors often offer their own professional networks to further expand the range of community members we are able to invite into the classroom.
Ultimately, making these connections might not be as difficult as one may think. Consider working with a group of other teachers who are interested in incorporating community into the classroom. You do not have to do this work alone, and it is okay to start small. Below is a suggested sequence for engaging community and some tips for identifying, networking, and building relationships with community mentors.
We recognize that finding additional time to bring community members into the classroom may be challenging for teachers who already have so much to do. However, students, teachers, and community members sharing spaces where they can “dare to imagine different social arrangements and instantiate new communitarian configurations” (Rivera-Servera, 2012 p. 35) is key.
Besides connecting students with local community initiatives as they form or occur (e.g. student advocacy groups, public dialogues about education), Humanities Amped draws community resources from a variety of contexts including through connections to local universities, from the school’s alumni center, and in partnership with local organizations. Once connected with the students, individuals serving as mentors often offer their own professional networks to further expand the range of community members we are able to invite into the classroom.
Ultimately, making these connections might not be as difficult as one may think. Consider working with a group of other teachers who are interested in incorporating community into the classroom. You do not have to do this work alone, and it is okay to start small. Below is a suggested sequence for engaging community and some tips for identifying, networking, and building relationships with community mentors.
Potential Sequence for Engaging Community
Step 1: Identifying community Resources |
Ask students and people in your own networks to help identify community members who do work that would enrich student learning.
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Step 2: Networking/Building Relationships |
Attend community events to meet people and ask them to connect you with others. Ask if they would be willing to come into the classroom as mentors.
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Step 3: Thinking through Purpose and Frequency of Visits |
Reflect on the purpose of mentors and the frequency of the visits: Will they serve as a guest speaker or workshop leader to the whole class? Will they do a series of workshops? Will they meet with one group or multiple groups? How frequently will they visit? If they are unable to come to campus, will they provide feedback to students via email? Consider how best to make use of the mentor’s time and keep in mind that you may need to adjust your teaching plans accordingly.
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Step 4: Thinking through School Policies
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Be familiar with school visitor policy and think of logistics, including safety protocols, from the visitor’s point of view: Will visitors have to go through a fingerprinting process? Will administrators need to be informed of the visit? What do they need to know about parking? Will they have to sign in to the front office first? Will they need help finding your classroom? How will you communicate with community members the day of the visit? Make sure to communicate all this information to the visitor, and ensure that the mentor is aware of proper boundaries with students, such as they should only communicate via email.
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Step 5: Training |
How will you communicate your plans and your students’ needs to your community member? What can you provide them ahead of time so they feel prepared before they arrive?
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Step 6: Thinking through Reciprocity |
We have found that mentors feel grateful and inspired from working with young people. However, what ways can teachers and students thank or reciprocate the community members for sharing their time and expertise? Students could write thank you letters expressing their appreciation. Teachers and students could attend their mentor’s events or initiatives. They could help raise awareness of those organizations by sharing their information on social media. Teachers and students could also organize a community mentor night where mentors could be publicly recognized for their work.
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Considerations for Identifying, Networking, and Building Relationships with Community
Tip 1: Ask Your Students
Ask your students who are the important people in their lives. Ask students to identify organizations or change-makers in their community who they identify with. You might want to invite these individuals into the classroom, or, as Humanities Amped has done, you could organize a community night and have students invite two of the most important people in their lives as well as inviting the community leaders they look up to.
Tip 2: Look into the organizations and communities you already are a part of
What organizations and communities are you involved with? Are you part of a biking group, church, teacher union, book club, social media group, family or friend unit, coworker clique? Who are the people in these groups? Are they connected to other organizations or are their jobs related to something your students want to learn? For example, doesn’t Kim from your brunch group have a sister-in-law that works for the Mayor’s Office?
Tip 3: Look for people and organizations who bring people together
What community organizations actively bring different groups of people in your community together? Do they have a website or social media page where you can contact them through phone or email? Do they have events where you could attend and make connections? Who are the leaders in these communities? Perhaps you could ask them to give a workshop about their work to your class. Ask if they can connect you with other organizations or leaders. Often getting to one organization can allow you to network with others. For example, an organization that conducts dialogues on mental health might be able to connect you with a social worker from a women’s center.
Tip 4: Look For Events
In order to form part of communities, attend community events. Find events that speak to you and that you feel will help you grow and learn more. Take a friend with you. At the event, introduce yourself to the event organizers and ask for their business card. Meet as many people as you feel comfortable. They might be able to connect you with other community members as well.
Tip 5: Think Beyond the Classroom
While these strategies are for bringing the community into the classroom, please note that teachers can also coordinate with community members to have students take field trips to visit their organizations or explore being volunteers.
