On the staff development page on climate justice one particular thing caught my attention. It is a picture of two shaking hands with a message “It’s time to reconnect”. This is perfectly aligned with the ideas shared by Pascal Geilen and Richard Sennett in the interview titled “A Plea for Communalist Teaching” in which they discuss how education must be based on collaboration and community. They argue that teachers and students should collaborate to build communities and promote communalist approach to teaching in order to help the students become more engaged and motivated to learn and grow both personally and professionally. In individual oriented world we live, this can sound as an ambitious plan, but at least something to start with to build a better learning environment for future generations. One good example towards it could be found in theory of the UAL Climate, Racial and Social Justice Principles such as “Cultivate systems thinking and practices that meaningfully acknowledge the interconnections and complexity of life on earth”. As a theater maker and a lecturer in acting and performance, I understand the importance of team-building as theater is all about the ensemble work. One group of people (actors) performing for the other group of people (audience) is what makes the community strong and interconnected and an individual healthy and empowered. My teaching practice is all about applying this theory in acting lab studio practice. I welcome you to my studio if you would like to learn more about the methods I use in my ‘communalist teaching’!

References: 
Geilen & van Hausden (2011) A Plea for Communalist Teaching: Summary