Monday, September 27, 2010

Brainstormin'

When the Tolerance Club met this afternoon one of our tasks was to frame our mission statement. The process required the assembled group to answer four questions:

Who are we?
What do we stand for?
Why is that important?
What are we going to do to accomplish our goals?

In order to gather our thoughts, we used the tried and true technique of collective brainstorming. Members of the group called out their thoughts and responses to our guiding questions and we wrote them on the board. Here's what the kids came up with:

Who are we?

The Tolerance Club

What do we stand for?
  • Helping people make friends
  • Building self-esteem
  • Spreading peace
  • Helping people feel accepted
  • Helping people accept others
  • Making school a safer, happier place

Why is that important?
  • It's not fun being lonely
  • People should feel good about coming to school
  • There should be a positive atmosphere for everyone to learn and grow
  • If you're not helping, you're part of the problem
  • Prejudice is wrong

What are we going to do to accomplish our goals?
  • Invite people to join us
  • Spread the word
  • Reach out 
  • Talk to your friends about how they act
  • Accept responsibility for our school
  • Stand up for victims of bullies
  • Look at yourself and your actions and choices
 And here's our mission statement:

We the members of the Tolerance Club pledge to spread peace through our school by helping people feel accepted and encouraging people to accept others, because it’s important for everyone to feel good about coming to school so that we can learn and grow. We understand that if you’re not helping then you’re part of the problem, and we invite everyone to join us and to take responsibility for your part in making our school a safer, more positive place by talking to your friends about their choices and actions and by looking at your own behavior, too. Stand up, reach out, and spread the word. Prejudice is wrong. 

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