Establishing Ground Rules

How do we create a classroom culture that fosters intellectual curiosity and viewpoint diversity? To thoughtfully engage complex issues throughout the school year, students must orient themselves towards an explicit class goal and accompanying ground rules that support speaking openly and listening carefully to others. This activity presents a purposely vague gaming exercise to spark conversation about the importance of having a class goal and introduces The Mill Institute’s Ground Rules as a springboard for students to discuss and develop a bespoke set of ground rules for the class.