Tribes Learning Communities
Tribes: Innovative Cooperative Learning Strategies to Create Safe and Caring Environments
Tribes was founded by Jeanne Gibbs, who created the program to create safe and caring environments via cooperative learning strategies.
What is Tribes?
Tribes Learning Community is a program that was created by Jeanne Gibbs to encourage schools, families, and the community to create healthy and safe learning environments for students. The program is based on four main agreements that all students, teachers and administrators must follow. The four agreements are attentive listening, appreciations (no put downs), mutual respect, and the right to pass. Many schools in Canada and the United States have incorporated this innovative program whose main focus is on cooperative learning.
Why was Tribes created?
Tribes' was created to bring students, teachers, and administrators together to create school environments that are safe and nurturing. A teacher may have countless excellent lesson plans that require the students to be active participants but if they do not feel safe the lesson plan will be futile. Jeanne Gibbs created the program to give teachers, students, and administrators' tools to work together as a team (tribe) to problem solve inside and outside the classroom. Violence is prevalent in our schools and our students are falling short of the grade because their first instinct is survival. If the classroom and school is a safe place they will use their brain power to learn rather than thinking of creative ideas of how to make it safely to their locker.
How do I get involved with Tribes?
The first place to check is with the continuing education program in your school district. Many school districts in Canada and the United States are implementing this program, and are offering it free or at a minimal cost to their employees.
As well, you can visit their site at www.tribes.com to find out about their next session.
Where is the program offered?
The program is offered all across the United States and Canada. However, Japan and Australia are also offering this program in the 2006 calendar year. Check their site for your specific location and call if your area is not on their calendar. Customer service is excellent.
Why should I enroll into the Tribes Program?
Tribes' is an excellent tool for new and experienced teachers. Much of our time in the classroom can be used on behavior management rather than on learning. Too much time is wasted on reprimanding one or two students while the other students begin to shift in their seats becoming bored and annoyed. Tribes' creates an environment that is safe and caring for all students and if a student chooses to act out, the repercussions are known in advance. The program gives you strategies to make learning an active process instead of the traditional passive one. Often students misbehave in the classroom because they are bored, scared, and the material is too difficult for them. Tribes' gives you the tools to create lesson plans that will speak to all of the multiple intelligences and to teach students how to problem solve instead of regurgitate information.
