Standing on Common Ground Program Implementation Cycle
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School Climate/Culture Challenges: Issues like racial conflict, homophobia, gender issues, staff conflict, lack of parent/community engagement, and bullying are but a few.
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Transformation Team (TT): Cadre consisting of administrators, teachers, non-classroom personnel and/or parents that provide valuable input regarding program content and process. The TT also receives extensive professional development to support SOCG programs.
Campus Allies: Community-based organizations, social services, universities, museums, elected officials, etc. All SOCG projects seek to include local agencies and organizations that can provide qualified additional support to the participating school. An example might be university social work interns satisfying their fieldwork hours by supporting SOCG program and the students at no cost to the school.
SOCG THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The theoretical foundation for all Standing on Common Ground programs is an amalgamation of cutting-edge theorists and practitioners in the fields of cognitive development, education, and human relations. All of the activities, processes, and programs with Standing on Common Ground are grounded in, but not limited to, various elements from among the following models:
- Samuel Oliner - The study of altruistic behavior and empathy through the examination of heroic actions during the Holocaust. Oliner, a professor at Humboldt State University, identified shared life experiences and perspectives that manifested themselves in over 1500 individuals, like Oskar Schindler, who altruistically risked their lives so that others may survive. These common characteristics include such qualities as being loved and having loving role models as children, experiencing efficacy at some point in their lives, and having access to diversity.
- http://www.humboldt.edu/~altruism/samuel.htm
- Howard Gardner - Gardner, a Harvard professor in collaboration with others, offered his Multiple Intelligences theory to invite people to consider that intelligence can be measured beyond a Stanford-Binet I.Q. test. In the programs of SOCG, Gardner's work manifests itself in the wide array of methodology and learning modalities used to accommodate the myriad ways in which students express understanding and learning
- http://www.howardgardner.com/
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Constructivist Theory - Based on the work of cognitive development and educational psychologists Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget, this theory reinforces the value of teaching and learning interactively and experientially in real-world settings solving real-world problems. Their theories suggest that human beings "construct" r eality and expand their learning by interacting with the environment, not necessarily out of books and that the teacher acts as a facilitator rather than a dispenser of information
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- Developmental Assets – Years of research by the Search Institute of Minneapolis have identified 41 "developmental assets" that have a proven relationship to healthy youth development. These assets include both external experiences which provide young people with support, empowerment and boundaries and the internal values, strengths and commitments that they need in order to thrive. As Asset Charts demonstrate, there is a direct relationship between increasing the number of assets and decreasing the incidence of high risk behaviors such as violence and drug and alcohol abuse.
- http://www.search-institute.org
- Habits of Mind - A Habit of Mind is knowing how to behave intelligently when you DON'T know the answer to something. Studies have shown that there are strands of similarity (characteristics, tendencies and traits) that “successful” people seem exhibit more than others thus enabling them to more effectively overcome obstacles and problems. SOCG training emphasizes these elements and Habits of Mind are embedded in all facets of our programs. SOCG participants are encouraged to make these “habits” a part of their daily practice.
- http://www.habits-of-mind.net./
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - A five level pyramid that suggests that all human beings are motivated by similar needs and impulses. The basis of Maslow's theory is that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied before higher needs can be satisfied. SOCG workshops are structured around the notion that for courageous exploration and learning to take place—experiences that foster optimal growth—people first need to have their basic needs met, e.g. safe space, square meals, trusting adults, etc.
- http://www.abraham-maslow.com/
- Bloom’s Taxonomy – (see Programs) Following the 1948 Convention of the American Psychological Association, Benjamin Bloom took a lead in formulating a classification of "the goals of the educational process". Three "domains" of educational activities were identified. The first of these, named the Cognitive Domain, involves knowledge and the development of intellectual attitudes and skills. The other domains are the Affective Domain and the Psychomotor Domain. Eventually, Bloom and his co-workers established a hierarchy of educational objectives, which is generally referred to as Bloom's Taxonomy, and which divides cognitive objectives ranging from the simplest behavior to the most complex. SOCG programs seek to challenge students to operate at the highest levels of cognitive development.
- http://www.chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/bloom.htm/l
Websites listed for the related theories are trusted and valid but not the sole sources of information on the respective to topics.
“Only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem at hand, seeking and finding his own solution (not in isolation but in correspondence with the teacher and other pupils) does one learn."
John Dewey, How We Think, 1910
PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATION
Through structured activities and experiences, the following elements are always underscored and emphasized in SOCG programs:
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Fostering Altruistic and Empathic Behavior - participants look at the nature of empathy and altruism and what it feels like to take their attention off themselves and to create a perspective and world-view that includes the experience of others and a purpose bigger than an individual.
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Expanding Comfort Zones - participants are invited to look at their self-imposed limitations with regard to taking chances and moving forward in their lives and tare given ample opportunities to identify and address these fears.
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Encouraging Social Responsibility - participants are always invited to look at ways, individually or as a group, to affect positive change in their school and community. In some Districts, these efforts take the form of service learning projects that can count toward the fulfillment of graduation requirements (LAUSD). Examples of recent projects are shared in the SOCG brochure.
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Ensuring Post-Secondary Success - every aspect of the SOCG is geared toward setting students up for success after high school – be it a trade, trade school, or university. Many of the SOCG programs take place on college campuses and all of the SOCG staff hold advanced degrees from major universities.
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