Student Generated Honor Codes and 'GP'

I am "honored" to teach at a school that has taken the time to work WITH students to develop a code of conduct that the student body believes in. 

Working together with faculty, students at Sonoma Academy created this Honor Code, over the course of two years, in an attempt to create a sense of student agency over "rules" at school.

It works.

Yes, a more hierarchical set of rules does exist at the school for your standard situations, but to be honest, the cultural shift that a student generated Honor Code, not forced upon students, but derived from their collective experience and conversations around what "honor" is, permeates the school.

It's hard to put to words. 

Below is a summary of our Honor Code if the above link is difficult to access: ​

• Honor is doing the right thing
• Honor is a pile of backpacks outside of the gymnasium
• Honors isa take-home physics test.
• Honors is a teacher leaving class to get a cup of tea.
• Honor is is splitting the last donut
• Honor is a handshake after the game.
• Honor is admitting you "accidentally" broke it.
• Honor is treating everybody the same even though everybody is different.
• Honor is the comments on your report card
• Honor is getting hep for a friend when they need it.
• Honor is picking up that piece of trash, whether or not it's yours.
• Honor is listening to another's opinion.
• Honor is saying your internet was broken, only when your internet was actually broken.
• Honor is the applause after your senior speech.

The students take the Honor Code seriously. The simplicity of it resonates with students and teachers.

They made. So they believe in it. 

I often find myself leaving in the middle of class to run to the bathroom or grab a cup of coffee, and saying things like  "I will be back in 5 minutes, HONOR CODE". They know exactly what I mean. 

Switching gears to our FIRSTRobotics team which is in full swing, two weeks into build season.

Currently we find ourselves struggling to create a sense of equity and ownership over the various process on the team. Talented individuals, Strong personalities. Etc., etc., etc..

Lucky, FIRST Robots embraces, and actively promotes, a way of thinking about teamwork in the context of Robotics they call "Gracious Professionalism" or "GP". Click here to read more about  "GP". According to FIRST, "GP" can be described as: 

Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST**. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended. In the long run, Gracious Professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing one has acted with integrity and sensitivity.**

With our school's Honor Code in place, team leadership this year decided to translate our Honor Code into a "GP Code", specific to our Robotics team, in the spirit of, and designed according to, the principles and process of developing the school's Honor Code.

Without the our school's Honor Code in place, "GP" would, in all honesty, be a difficult thing to impress upon young 9th-12th grade students.

Our Honor Code's existence provided a framework for student voice, and evidence that something can get created. By them. For us. 

Over the past week our team took time away from building our Robot to create a "GP" code specific to US, and aligned with our Honor Code.

We know have a poster hanging, pamphlet's to distribute, and more importantly, a collective ethos to fall back on...together. 

School culture is a function of student input and feedback. End of story. 

Click here to see a slide show that contains our  Robotics's Team "GP Code", along with associated graphics, that, in the spirit of prototyping, is a work in progress. They are also listed below: 

• Gracious Professionalism is doing the right thing
• Gracious Professionalism is tirelessly working to acknowledge and value the voices of all members.
• Gracious Professionalism is admitting when you forgot to charge the batteries before your match.
• Gracious Professionalism is asking your lead mentor for advice before discussing an issue with a team member.
• Gracious Professionalism is prototyping a different intake mechanism even if it varies from your own idea.
• Gracious Professionalism is handwriting thank you letter after a team sponsorship.
• Gracious Professionalism is the Controls Team Lead giving a rookie the chance to wire a motor controller.
• Gracious Professionalism is posting a message on Slack to let team members know your location at regionals.
• Gracious Professionalism is taking the time to find and deliver just the right 10-32 bolt to another team's pit.
• Gracious Professionalism is returning your safety glasses back to the competition venue.
• Gracious Professionalism is staying back to clean your pit during a match because it needs to be done.

Parents will be presented it tomorrow night at a welcome dinner, and, along with team members, will sign off vowing to follow it to the best of their ability. 

Suddenly buzzwords are transcended and "GP" is a living thing.

In encourage you to work with any organization your are part of to do the same.