Innovation at Dalat #10 Small Groups

“We’re connected but alone.” This is how MIT professor Sherry Turkle describes the state of most people and their relationships in our world today.  In her well-known TED Talk, Turkle describes the alarming shift in human relationships that has come through the growth of technology.  She describes how more and more young people, as well as adults, no longer feel comfortable talking in person with others.  People relate to each other more and more through virtual platforms, which can create a feeling of connection but in reality, does not substitute for humans’ innate need for meaningful human connection.  The result is that the number of people reporting loneliness and isolation continues to increase, along with resulting maladies like depression and anxiety. 

In a world that is slowly becoming devoid of face to face relationships, Dalat has chosen to innovate by reintroducing the lost art of having face to face conversations.  As part of our high school Bible program, students in high school Bible classes spend one day a week with a small group led by a mentor-adult.  After a snack and some light conversation about how the week is going, small groups discuss their thoughts about some of life’s deeper questions.  Small groups also spent the service day together and were able to work as a team to impact our community. 

So why take class time to invest in a small group program?  Learning to talk and listen are skills that have to be developed; they do not come naturally for everyone and require a safe space for growth.  Though this simple skill of learning to work in groups and relate to others might have been a normal part of the world a few decades ago, this is not a skill that people are developing as much anymore.  Beyond learning conversation skills, being part of a small group is an opportunity for our students to experience community and deeper relationships, as well as give them a safe place to talk about whatever they are facing.  As a significant part of Dalat’s Christian tradition, these are values that we hold dear.  Small groups are one way we prioritize these things in a world that is increasingly connected but alone.

Innovation at Dalat #9 Student Leadership

Student Council, the Junior class experience, and the Senior class experience are instrumental in developing strong leaders. But they don’t provide a lot of opportunity for our grade 9 and 10 students to practice their leadership skills.  

“How can we do this better?”

This was the question that led to a significant change, to the structure of our leadership program, which was announced to the Student Council earlier this week. Our goal is to expand the leadership development experience for our younger students and have a more consistent and thoughtful  approach to all of our student leadership.

Next year our Ninth and tenth-grade students will each be led by two sponsors and will elect officers to lead Executive Committees (Ex-Coms) of 8-10 students. Every Monday during X-block, either the Ex-Com or volunteers from the entire class will meet to work and plan activities and events.

Ninth grade students will have a number of opportunities to plan and participate in, like class parties and hosting an event for the entire high school. Tenth-grade students will work with their sponsors to run a lunchtime store (what is currently the StuCo store) and to organize events such as our Christmas Banquet. Throughout the year, both grade levels will have opportunities to learn leadership lessons and come into the Jr. year more prepared. Overall, more students will be able to get involved and find out what they enjoy/where they are gifted.

Out of all the student Ex-Coms, a group will also be given the opportunity to serve on the Principal’s Advisory League (PAL). PAL students will meet regularly with the principal to advise, support, and communicate with the administration about student issues.

All of the leadership groups—each class Ex-Com, PALs, Dorm Council, and Spiritual Leadership—will make up what is called Student Government. 

Innovation at Dalat #8 Agendas

Sometimes being innovative means “going old school”. In the past few years, Dalat HS students used digital day planners (also known as a daily agenda) to keep track of their assignments and activities. For some, it worked well to keep this information on a computer. But for others, the digital version was a challenge. Last semester we asked for some feedback and many students told us that an old-fashioned paper daily agenda notebook would be more useful. So we designed and printed copies of a Dalat branded book and are offering them to any HS student who wants to use one.

Using a daily planner to keep track of daily assignments is a critical life skill needed for success in nearly any occupation. As an educator, I think the simplest way to predict a students success as a student is to see if they regularly use an agenda. Our 9th-grade teachers recognize its importance and even make it an assignment and occasionally will mark our students on how well they are using an agenda.

If a student loses their agenda and needs a replacement, for a small cost, all they need to do is come and see one of the friendly ladies at the front desk. If your student is having trouble staying organized, perhaps a first step to help them is to encourage them to stop by and pick one up.