Tribes: Creating the Environment

Most careers are black and white. There is usually a right and a wrong way to accomplish a task. But education is what I view as a gray career. Yes, there are situations where the moral code is straightforward, but the core of teaching is gray. What is important to ask of your students? Who leads the class, the teacher or the kids? Are teacher and student relationships important? All of these questions dictate how effective a classroom is and they are all completely the choice of the teacher. Sometimes, it isn't that a teacher chooses a negative environment for their class, but it is simply that they don't know better. Some aren't sure of how to include all the rules they want without becoming overbearing. Others don't realize the importance in stating the "common sense" rules. So how to we solve this problem? How do we help teachers create an environment for their classroom that enhances learning while creating a better work environment for themselves?

Tribes is a teaching method that creates an effective teaching environment for the teachers. Tribe creates five important rules and sets them as the classroom standards.
1. Attentive listening
2. Show appreciation/no put-downs
3. Right to pass/right to participate
4. Mutual Respect

These four rules quickly creates the classroom environment for the teacher. Tribes solves conflicts, creates active learning and listening, and lastly, sets up the basis for relationship building.

I think this strategy is particularly important for beginner teachers to use. No longer will a teacher have to question if their rules are justified or learn hard lessons and deal with regret due to rules or the lack of. If new teachers use Tribes then they will start off confident knowing that with these four simple rules, their classroom will eventually come to together. And though they will still make many mistakes, their basis isn't lacking.

When I become a teacher I see myself taking advantage of the Tribes strategy. One of my fears is coming off too strong with rules in the beginning of the year, or due to fear of that, having little to no structure in my classroom. I like how the four rules in Tribes isn't just disciplinary based, but rather based to help the individual. I strongly believe that education is all about individualization. How can one expect to see all types of students learn from one type of teaching? And how can all students agree with rules that are formed based on the wants and needs of a teacher rather then rules that are based around the wants and needs of the students? In order to actually teach, teachers must create an environment that revolves around the students, have rules that are meant to enhance the students education and experience, and set standards for all to know and live by fairly... and Tribes does just that.

To learn more about Tribes so that you can use it in your classroom, click here!