Class Meetings

Handbook 2007

Classroom meetings

Class Meetings are regular meetings (e.g. 1 per week/fortnight) conducted in a circle that use a democratic process to discuss issues raised by students or the teacher. They can also provide a vehicle for negotiating, conducting and reflecting upon the curriculum.

Marshall (p131) lists the following Purposes and Objectives of class meetings.

ü  Improving communication skills of listening and speaking

ü  Providing opportunities for insightful, creative, and critical thinking

ü  Learning the process of respectful interaction and promoting teamwork

ü  Increasing social intelligence, such as empathy

ü  Fostering social skills, such as reducing shyness

ü  Enhancing aspects of character education, such as being trustworthy and fair

ü  Reducing anonymity and promoting feelings of acceptance and worthiness

ü  Building a trusting and caring relationship between teacher and student and between students

ü  Creating and maintaining an open, trusting atmosphere for risk-taking in learning

ü  Creating a sense of community by increasing class cohesiveness

ü  Providing a vehicle where students talk about subjects that interest, affect, or concern them

Initial considerations: Establishing some interest and underpinnings

§  Class meetings are more effective when implemented in a planned way that allows time for students to learn relevant skills, attitudes and behaviours and if they continue to occur on a regular ongoing basis.

§  Teachers must exercise control with the aim of passing control onto students. Mistakes and setbacks must be treated with “calm detachment” and be seen as opportunities to learn.

§  Students will tune out of teacher dominated meetings and so real student involvement in agenda setting and process management must be aimed for and eventually students “running” meetings

§  Social interest needs to be developed through activities designed to develop cooperation, mutual respect and the idea of a win/win environment.

Experience Appropriate Introduction.

The process of introducing a class meeting program varies with the experiences of the students. For year 7 students the concept and skill lessons are best introduced “as a matter of course” at the start of the year. For older levels prior experience of class meetings needs to be ascertained. Older students without experience of class meetings may need to be “encouraged” to participate. This can be done in several ways.

·  Play some (Fun) cooperative games e.g. Cooperative Juggling, Human Knots.

·  Introduce the relevant VELS Dimensions and explain how class meetings can help students to develop and demonstrate skills in these dimensions

·  Discuss with students “Who is responsible for the quality of Learning in this class” and how the “Discipline” regime will operate. Using the AnarchyàBullyingàComplianceàDemocracy model.

The initial sessions of any program need to be devoted to ensuring that appropriate behaviours and cooperation are achieved (compliance) before students can really participate effectively (democracy).

It is crucial that teachers see problems as opportunities to learn.

Where behaviours/attitudes are unacceptable and not conducive to effective dialogue this becomes the key issue for discussion. Class meetings are primarily about improving interpersonal skills.
Class meeting program outline

Session 1: Introduction

·  Form a circle

·  Paired introductions,

·  What would a good class meeting LOOK, SOUND and FEEL like?

·  Remembering names

Session 2: Building Cooperative Skills

·  Form a circle.

·  Cooperative juggling

Session 3: Speaking and Listening, Power

·  Form a circle

·  Mixing up game

·  Introduce rules of speaking and talking tool

·  Feed back around the circle

·  The analysis of power

Session 4: Forms of social organization

·  Conduct this session in table teams

·  Define and describe and evaluate Anarchy, Bullying, Compliance and Democracy

Session 5: Who is responsible?

·  Form a circle, play mix up game

·  Who is responsible for quality learning?

·  Who is responsible for student behaviour?

·  What form of social organization is best?

·  Introduction of class meeting format

Session 6: Class meeting protocols

·  Form a circle, Mix up, Play a game

·  Compliments and Appreciations

·  Building and agenda

Session 7: Listening, Separate Realities

·  Form a circle, mix up

·  Appreciations

·  Agenda items if required

·  Improve listening skills

·  The use of “I” statements when communicating +,- feelings

·  Learning about separate realities

Session 8: Mistaken goals

·  Form a circle

·  Appreciations

·  Agenda items and follow up if required

·  Finding out about mistaken goals

·  Encourage positive behaviour in others

Session 9: Developing Problem Solving skills

·  Form a circle

·  Appreciations

·  Agenda items and follow up if required

·  Role Playing

·  Brain Storming

Session 10: Focusing on Non Punitive Solutions

·  Form a circle

·  Appreciations

·  Agenda items and follow up if required

·  What does punishment really teach

·  Natural Consequences, Logical Consequences, Punishment and Solutions

Session 11: Solutions, Recovery from Mistakes

·  Form a circle

·  Appreciations

·  Agenda items and follow up if required

·  The Four R’s of Solutions

·  The 3 R’s of recovery from mistakes

Session X is so called because its place in the program depends on the readiness of students.

Session X: Introducing VELS standards

·  Form circle, appreciations, agenda

·  Defining standards

·  Introducing VELS standards

·  Paper, Scissors, Rock Tournament

Beyond the beginning, moving forward

Appendix 1: The Raise Responsibility System

Appendix 2: Additional ideas and resources


Relevant VELS outcomes in Progression point form

Interpersonal Development: Building Relationships 4.25à5.0
Cultural and Individual Diversity
knowledge of events that cause suffering among people of other communities and nations / awareness of how people of other cultures may think and feel about significant events / behaviour that is mindful of how people of other cultures may think and feel about significant events / demonstrate respect for the individuality of others and empathise with others in local, national and global contexts, acknowledging the diversity of individuals
Peer Influence-Power Imbalances
knowledge of peer influence and its positive and negative consequences / knowledge of the factors that can determine power imbalances between peers; for example, gender / use of strategies for managing peer influence and its consequences / recognise and describe peer influence on their behaviour.
Effective social relations
knowledge of a range of strategies for maintaining peer relationships / use of a range of coping strategies to achieve social outcomes; for example, positive self talk or making a plan / evaluation of the effectiveness of coping strategies in diverse social contexts
Conflict Management
emotional control when dealing with conflict; for example, identifying triggers / awareness of strategies for responding to the emotions of others when experiencing conflict with them; for example, through clarification of point of view / use of strategies to resolve conflicts; for example, through role-play / select and use appropriate strategies to effectively manage individual conflict and assist others in resolution processes.
Interpersonal Development: Working in teams 4.25à5.0
Attitudes and Behaviours of effective team members
questioning and clarification skills when exploring the ideas of other team members / supportive and cooperative attitudes and behaviours / development of shared team goals; for example, through collaboration / accept responsibility as a team member and support other members to share information, explore the ideas of others,
Effective Team Planning and monitoring
knowledge of planning, organisational and goal-setting tools / prioritising of group tasks and time management / use of strategies for monitoring of individual and group progress; for example, checking progress against a work plan / work cooperatively to achieve a shared purpose within a realistic timeframe
knowledge of criteria, such as meeting deadlines and equal distribution of tasks, for evaluating team performance / monitoring of team progress against performance criteria / use of the outcomes of evaluation to reflect on and improve the strategies used by the team / reflect on individual and team outcomes and act to improve their own and the team’s performance.
Effective Team Interpersonal Skills
sensitivity to the feelings of other team members / use of negotiating skills in resolving group conflict / use of strategies for coping with team difficulties; for example, listening and negotiation
cooperative and supportive behaviour that encourages harmony / use of strategies for engaging all team members; for example, allocating team roles or asking questions / use of strategies for supporting all team members to achieve tasks; for example, providing encouragement or mentoring
Personal Learning: The Individual learner 4.25à5.0
Open-mindedness, questioning skills, exploring alternatives, effective collaboration
open-mindedness when considering alternative views and strategies for enquiring and problem solving
consideration of the views and needs of others in the learning environment / thoughtful questioning when comprehending, exploring or elaborating alternative views / open-minded consideration of a range of views and values in a variety of learning situations / an awareness of different cultural and societal beliefs, values and practices, identifying and discussing the effect of ethical issues on learning and working with others.
consider both their own and others’ needs when making decisions about suitable learning processes and the creation of positive learning environments within and outside the classroom.
Thinking Processes: Creativity 4.25à5.0
with teacher guidance, use of a range of creative thinking strategies for exploring possibilities and responding appropriately to a challenge / with teacher guidance, generation of multiple options and solutions or responses to problems or issues; for example, by adapting and adding ideas / with teacher support, application of creative thinking strategies for a variety of purposes and problems, and in a range of contexts / apply creative thinking strategies to explore possibilities and generate multiple options, problem definitions and solutions.
demonstrate creativity, in the ways they engage with and explore ideas in a range of contexts.
Civics and Citizenship: Community Engagement 4.25à5.0
Identifying and presenting alternative points of view
identification of viewpoints on a particular contemporary issue / a viewpoint on a particular issue, presented with recognition of other points of view and with suggestions for possible solutions / viewpoints on issues, presented with supporting evidence, recognition of a range of perspectives, and plans for a solution / present points of view on contemporary issues and events using appropriate supporting evidence
explain the different perspectives on some contemporary issues and propose possible solutions to problems.
Using democratic processes for class and group decisions
attentiveness to other points of view before making decisions in group and class activities / use of democratic processes to contribute to class decision making / use of democratic processes when working in groups on school and community projects / use democratic processes when working in groups on class and community projects.
Participation in developing, planning and implementing school and community events
participation, with teacher guidance, in school and community events such as special assemblies for Anzac Day or World Environment Week activities / participation, with teacher guidance, in decision making about activities related to a community issue; for example, environmental sustainability, or a school or community event / development and implementation of an action plan related to a community issue, or a school or community event / participate in school and community events and participate in activities to contribute to environmental sustainability or action on other community issues.


Session 1 (to be done as soon as possible at the start of the year)

Activity: Form a circle (PD p61)

The furniture needs to be moved. This task is used as an opportunity to educate about a cooperative activity.

  1. Tell the students that your class will be conducting class meetings from time to time and that to do so will require the furniture to be moved into a circle.
  2. Ask them what needs to occur for this to be done in “quality” way. (List of the board)
  3. The list must include that the move must be SAFE, QUIET, FAST and ACCURATE
  4. Ask them to suggest how long they think it will take and place some times on the board.

5.  Tell them that they will be timed and the time will be used as a benchmark for all future moves

  1. Time the students as they complete the move. Record the time and make a big deal about it.
  2. Discuss whether the move was safe, quiet, fast and accurate (is it a well formed circle). If not, ask whether there are any ideas for improvement.

NOTE: It important to get the form the circle activity and its partner (put the furniture back) right because they will be repeated many times. It should take less than 2 minutes to form a circle or put the furniture back. If this process becomes a pain then you will be reluctant to hold a class meeting. If it becomes a pain then it must be addressed as a key issue. It is an indicator of the students’ willingness to cooperate and follow the necessary rules for a class meeting. You should ALWAYS time these moves and hold the class to account for slackness.

Activity: Class meetings should LOOK LIKE, SOUND LIKE, FEEL LIKE……

Tell the students that over the next few weeks you will be preparing students to take part in effective class meetings

  1. Ask the students what a “quality” class meeting might look like, feel like and sound like.
  2. Go around the circle and require each student to elucidate on one of these dimensions.
  3. Record the info on a Y chart on the board and record on paper to keep for future reference. This could be made into a permanent wall poster.

Activity: Introductions. Get one student to introduce themselves and say one interesting thing about themselves. E.g. “I’m Joe and I like cricket” The next student repeats that: ‘That was Joe and he likes cricket. then introduces themselves “I’m Betty and I play the guitar” and so on, in pairs, around the circle)