The Practice of Community

THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY

The Experience of Belonging & Collaboration

At TAO, we value our interconnectedness. The practice of Community both nurtures our belonging and supports our uniqueness. 

Every morning, we gather together as a student body. Through our daily Community Meetings, we engage in the key practices of community building: sharing, listening to one another, participating in discussions about school-wide decisions and updates, and practicing mindfulness.  

Community Meetings are a safe space to experiment with navigating the dance of self and group. Students bring their individual voices to the group, and are encouraged to share their unique perspectives. Through practicing compassion, tolerance, and curiosity about one another, students learn the skills that form the basis of cooperation and collaboration. 

Community Meetings also create space to engage in the principles of democratic, shared decision-making. This is a hands-on experience of democracy where students discuss issues or decisions of meaning to the student body, and learn how to reach decisions collectively. Students also have the opportunity to experiment with leadership within the student body collective. 

The practice of Community supports TAO students as they navigate their own emerging identities. It is a safe space to experiment with authenticity and opinion-sharing during a developmental stage in which self-consciousness can often dominate. The practice of Community is ultimately a practice of interconnection and belonging that supports our students on their educational and developmental journey.