Build Community · Share Ideas · Reflect & Reset
The Class Field Guide
Collect anonymous student wisdom about what helps a class work—then turn it into a useful guide.
Time25–40 minutes
Group size8–40 people
FormatIndividual, Table groups, Whole group
MaterialsSticky notes or anonymous digital form, Chart paper or shared document, Markers
What this accomplishes
High school students respond privately to practical prompts about participation, help, feedback, group work, and recovery after a rough day. Small groups sort anonymous responses into themes, and the class builds a field guide the teacher can revisit.
- Surface student preferences and practical wisdom
- Create shared language for help, participation, and repair
Before you begin
Materials
- Sticky notes or anonymous digital form
- Chart paper or shared document
- Markers
Preparation
- Choose three prompts and create separate anonymous collection spaces
- Decide which classroom decisions students can influence and name any non-negotiables
What to say
“You have useful experience being a student. Share only what you are comfortable sharing, without your name. We will look for patterns—not guess who wrote what—and turn the useful patterns into a class field guide.”
How to run it
- 1
Give students quiet time to answer one to three prompts anonymously, one idea per note.
- 2
Shuffle the notes and distribute a set to each small group.
- 3
Groups sort notes into themes without evaluating or diagnosing the writer.
- 4
Each group names two practical recommendations and one tension or difference they noticed.
- 5
Build a shared field guide with sections such as getting unstuck, joining in, working with others, and resetting after a hard day.
- 6
Clarify which ideas the class can adopt now, which need more discussion, and which are outside the teacher’s control.
- 7
Revisit one section after two weeks and invite anonymous revisions.
Prompts to use
A class is working well when…
A useful way to help someone get unstuck is…
Group work is less painful when…
A low-pressure way to participate is…
After an off day, it helps when the next day…
One thing teachers should not mistake for not caring is…
Adapt it to the room
Small group
Let students sort all responses together, with the teacher acting only as recorder.
Large group
Assign each table one prompt and combine their recommendations into a shared document.
Virtual
Use an anonymous form, then paste de-identified responses into breakout-room documents for sorting.
Accessibility & inclusion
- Offer speech-to-text, typing, handwriting, and a pass option.
- Do not ask students to defend or explain anonymous responses.
- Read themes aloud and make the final guide available in an accessible digital format.
Debrief, if useful
Which recommendation could make the biggest difference right away?
Where did the class have different needs?
How can we make room for more than one useful way to participate?
Why it works—and what can go wrong
Why it works
Anonymous input reduces impression management, while sorting themes helps students see patterns beyond their own preferences. The revision step signals that community agreements are living tools rather than first-day theater.
Watch out for
- Do not promise changes you cannot make; respond transparently to suggestions.
- Remove identifying details before groups sort responses and follow school procedures if a note signals a safety concern.