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Introducing Tribes: A Strategy for Community Learning |
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El Paso Country Day School is excited to implement a new learning framework for the 2008-2009 School Year. Simply called “Tribes,” this new approach emphasizes community learning in small peer groups and represents a paradigm shift in the way classes are taught and in the way schools are organized. “Tribes is an on-going goal-oriented process based on sound principles and practices that maximize academic, social and emotional development and learning for children.” (Gibbs, Jeanne. Tribes Learning Communities).
This summer our faculty and staff spent
a magical week together in Tribes training. Everyone -- from
administrators to maintenance personnel – participated in an
introduction to this new methodology. We dedicated dozens of hours
to learning the ins and outs of community learning strategies and we
had the unique opportunity to experience the teaching strategies
that are used in Tribes lessons.
The climate in a Tribes school is safe, caring, and motivational for all-students, families, and teachers. The Tribes philosophy and way of teaching reflects the progressive learning that we live at EPCDS. Tribes empowers students to become active participants in the learning process and tear down the social barriers between students and teachers. Gone are the days of a teacher standing in front of the classroom and lecturing. With Tribes, teachers become facilitators – guides – who’s role it is to oversee and guide the learning process, not command it. The EPCDS academic tradition is unrivaled. Last year’s math team won every single math competition in the city, routinely beating schools with thousands of students. Now, we will continue this tradition of excellence within a framework that makes us even stronger. By implementing Tribes at all levels, from Pre-K students to school administrators, the school is truly a community of learners, united in its mission to prepare students for a lifetime of learning. |
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