Tribes TLC Learning Communities: Building Community and Skills

The Tribes TLC program is a fantastic way to encourage students to build learning communities where they are safe, cared for, and respected. For more information go to www.tribes.com.

In Tribes, classroom "rules" -- long lists imposed by the teacher -- are replaced by classroom "agreements" -- four short ideas that everyone in the class can live with: attentive listening, respect, appreciation, and the right to pass and participate.

However, it's not enough to just list these agreements: students need to learn HOW to listen, how to respect, etc. This lesson consists of an opening session where you discuss the four agreement, and then four blocks, one focused on each agreement. There are activities and lessons designed to help students focus on each agreement and really analyze it.

Although this lesson is flexibile and can be used as you wish, I divide it into four weeks for the first month of school. Each week we focus on a different agreement and watching for the behaviors associated with it, allowing students to really and thoroughly learn to grow as a community.