Out of Eden Learn Community Guidelines

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Our Out of Eden Learn community brings together young people from diverse backgrounds and places. This diversity is one reason why our community is so exciting and valuable. Interacting with other young people is an important part of your learning journey. We need your help in keeping our community a safe and respectful place for all members. As you participate in Out of Eden Learn, we ask that you follow the guidelines below, which are highlighted in this video:

Be Yourself: Share your thoughts, ideas, and personal stories. Out of Eden Learn is a place for sharing who you are, where you are coming from, and what you think. The community wants to hear from you!

Be Respectful: In addition to being yourself, please be sensitive and respectful so that no one in our diverse community feels hurt or offended. We do not tolerate negative posts or comments about an individual or one’s nationality, religion, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political views, or cultural practices.

Be Reflective: Before you share a post or comment, think about all the people who will be able to read it (students in your class, other students in your walking party, teachers, Paul Salopek). A few things to think about: How could your post or comment be interpreted by different members of the community? What kinds of online comments might upset you? Could someone feel uncomfortable with or hurt by something you are posting? How could you change the wording or content of your post to prevent any concerns?

Speak Up: If you notice a post that seems insensitive, hurtful, or inappropriate, please tell a teacher or parent. Your teacher or parent can then email us at learn@outofedenwalk.com. If you see a comment that is insensitive, hurtful or inappropriate, please click the "Flag" button next to the comment. If you report a post or comment, other students will not know that you reported it. A teacher or parent will be asked to talk with the student, who will edit or remove the post.

Be Compassionate: We all make mistakes. If someone has posted something hurtful or inappropriate, they may have not realized their mistake but will be asked to think about and edit their post. Please tell your teacher if you see any concerning posts but also try to be forgiving if someone has reflected on and apologizes for an inappropriate post. Be compassionate to yourself, too, if you make a mistake.

Listen Carefully: When reading other young people’s work, pay close attention. Notice details about what they are saying and sharing. Try to understand their point of view.

Be Brave: Share your point of view, even when it’s different from what other people are saying. Disagreeing can be uncomfortable but it offers a great opportunity to learn different perspectives. We encourage you to challenge one another to think more deeply and in different ways. Just remember to express your thoughts respectfully.

Engage Thoughtfully: When commenting on other young people’s posts or comments, please write in full sentences and be thoughtful. See the dialogue tools and thinking routines embedded in each comment box for ideas of different kinds of comments you could make.

Please note: The following types of posts/comments are considered inappropriate in our community.

Posts that tease others, including people who are members of your class.
Posts that are cruel or bullying.
Posts or comments that include negative statements about a person or whole groups of people (e.g., a nationality, a race or ethnicity, a gender, a religion, etc.)
Posts that will likely make others feel uncomfortable – e.g., a sexually suggestive photo.
Posts that include personal information about the student who is posting and therefore break our privacy guidelines – e.g., one’s own or another person’s email or Facebook address, home address, photo.