3C — Group Dynamics, Part 1 - Setting the Tone (Get Set)

Introduction

Chapter 1 — Overview

A — Social Action's Role in U.S. Experiment in Democracy B — US College Social Action C — Benefits of Social Action for Students Campuses, and Society D — The Vision: Bringing Social Action into the Classroom E — Overcoming Challenges of Teaching Social Action

Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class

A — Academic Course vs Co-Curricular / B — Prerequisites  C — Creating a Social Action Syllabus D — Teaching Style / E — Classroom Norms F — The Students G — Building Campus Allies and Community Partners H —The Role of Place / I —Each Semester vs Every Year (or Other Year) J — Maintaining Momentum

Chapter 3 — Launching Student Campaigns

A — On Your Mark: Preparing Students for the Road Ahead B — Students Choose Their Issue - GO! C — Group Dynamics, part 1-Setting the Tone (Get Set) D — Change Theory E — Building Power F — Social Action Campus Tour G — Research: Historical Overview, Power Mapping, & Target Analysis H — Group Dynamics, part 2 I — Strategy & Tactics J — Campaign Kickoff

Chapter 4 — Campaign Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation

A — Timeline & Campaign Plan B — Campaign Implementation: "Series of Actions" Begins C — Campaign Execution & Case Studies D — Campaign Evaluation E — Day of the Final: Campaign Notebook & Group Presentation

Chapter 5 — Where to Go From Here

A — Next Semester B — Mainstreaming Social Action C — Social Action Internship Program D — Pipeline to Jobs & Graduate School E — Status of Current Campaigns F — Impact of Social Action on Former Social Action Students

CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action

• Chapter 3C - Get Set: Setting the Tone (p. 68-73)

Sociology 164: Social Action Assignments

TEXTBOOK: CHANGE! A Student Guide to Social Action, Chapter 2 — Setting the Tone (p. 20-25).

Discussion

While you are "setting the tone", you will want to consider dedicating one-half of this class to working on the student's campaign demands and figuring how who is the decision-maker. For me, this on Day 4, and I remind them that in the first 5 days of class, the campaigns are quite fluid and they can switch groups easily. At the same time, I remind them that they can switch groups at anytime, particularly if there is a problem in the group dynamic that cannot be easily resolved.

Below is an example of several student campaign demands and targets sent to me after Day 4. Notice my responses, which are encouraging them to follow the text and create simple demands that are clear and quantifiable, and have a yes or no answer, and that identifies the decision-maker

Faculty Advice

Campus Example

Course Development Questions

1. The textbook discusses an inclusive and empowering leadership model: how might you use this model to encourage engagement, where everyone in the group is participating?
2. What might you use from the two CHANGE books, as well as other sources, to improve the setting of the tone for your students (developing a culture of accountability, active listening skills, etc.), ? What other ways things might you include in setting the tone for the road ahead?
3. What are the ways you might teach how privilege, and lack of privilege, play out in a group?