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Definition
"What
is connectedness? It is a sense
of being a part of something larger than oneself.
It is a sense of belonging, or a sense of accompaniment.
It is that feeling in your bones
that you are not alone. It is a
sense that, no matter how scary things may become, there is a hand for you in
the dark. While ambition drives
us to achieve, connectedness is my word for the force that urges us to ally,
to affiliate, to enter into mutual relationships, to take strength and to grow
through cooperative behavior."
[p. 196]
This is Edward M. Hallowell’s
definition of “connectedness” from an essay of the same name:
"Connectedness," pp. 193-209, in
Finding the Heart of the Child, Association of Independent
Schools in New England, Inc., 1993.
In
that essay he also describes some of the ways in which different forms of
connectedness are possible, important, and at risk: familial, historical, social, institutional/organizational,
informational (ideas), religious/transcendent.
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Introduction
(Steve Gilbert)
"I'm
worried about how we can re-build our world to enable more
people to live their lives under conditions of trust and
safety -- conditions where each of us can be part of
meaningful communities, where we can be connected in ways that
matter.
"...this
morning I continue to read reports of what happened in
Oklahoma City and how people there are having so much trouble
regaining their ability to continue their daily lives without
frequent feelings of fear and mistrust."
This is
from the introduction Steve Gilbert wrote on December 31, 1995 for a long
posting to the AAHESGIT [later, TLT-SWG] listserv.
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Resources
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Activities
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eClip
Plans A and B
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Plan A
1. Have participants read the definition of Connectness
above. 2. Talk in pairs about where they see the lack of connectedness
affecting their institution. 3. Watch Trimble's -eClip 4. Read
Connectedness article (see resources section above)
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Plan B
1. Show Trimble's eClip 2. Participants write quick
notes about where they see lack of connectedness as an issue in your
institution. 3. Work in pairs to answer the following question:
How do we change the
classroom so that it becomes a connected, safe place, where cynical behavior is
not rewarded? How can a faculty member
maintain the rigor of learning an academic discipline while developing an
environment that fosters connectedness?
4. Read Connectedness article (see resources section
above)
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