A curious seventh grader walked over and stood under the tree beside me, looking over the scene with obvious fascination and amusement. It was an entertaining spectacle, to be sure. In front of us, a dozen third graders were completely immersed in a team-building initiative that asked them to save the Dawson campus from an exploding volcano. The commotion was irresistible. A small crowd had gathered. 

The volcano initiative was designed to be fun and engaging but just as likely to devolve into anarchy. From outside the “caldera” (an arbitrary boundary they could not cross), they had to toss objects into a bin, thereby “clogging the volcano.”  Anytime someone stepped across the forbidden boundary, the volcano would explode, and all the items they had already successfully tossed into the bin would be launched into the air. The excitement was palpable as the joyful squeals, but it was pure chaos. At this activity stage, the hyperactive third graders were no closer to saving Dawson than when they had begun thirty minutes earlier.  

“I think they need to use the Five Finger Contract, Mr. Schuhmann,” the seventh grader knowingly commented. 

This wise seventh grader referred to an effective team-building tool he had learned in a similar activity weeks before. When a team is not experiencing success, sometimes it is helpful to analyze the process. This is where the Five Finger Contract comes in. 

A Five Finger Contract is a commonly used tool for establishing group norms. It’s a social contract that we carry with us at all times. Each finger represents some form of a community agreement or value. For example, in the Dawson Five Finger Contract, the thumb teaches us about the power of choice and that we are accountable for our choices - so make good choices! The pointer finger teaches us not to wag our fingers at one another because that kind of unsolicited criticism is rarely taken well. It also reminds us that the only person we may volunteer is ourselves. The middle finger indicates that we always need to treat one another with respect, particularly when we disagree. The ring finger symbolizes our sacred commitment to care for ourselves but also acknowledges that we each have significant obligations to our communities, relationships, values, and responsibilities. Finally, my favorite finger, the pinky finger, demonstrates that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that each of us is an integral part of the community with something unique to contribute.

The Five Finger Contract reminds us how we want to treat each other and what the process is supposed to look like. It’s a simple tool that can be applied in complex situations and can easily be remembered and emphasized when teams struggle. A messy process often results from failing to follow one or more of the Five Fingers - something we call a “broken finger.”  Broken fingers hurt and require a little time, care, and attention to heal correctly.  

Dawson students are introduced to the Five Finger Contract early in the year and across all ages. Once incorporated into their classrooms, it can then be pulled into any conversation throughout the year to help students understand the impacts of their choices and behavior. For example, elementary-age students can realize that their choice (thumb) to take someone’s toy has effects and consequences.   

Middle School students may understand that they are, at times, more committed (ring finger) to their fun and entertainment than they are to their achievement (or the success of their community). Likewise, an Upper School student may struggle to make choices (thumb) that are consistently kind and respectful (middle finger) while also remaining committed to their ideals and values (ring finger). 

I learned the power of the Five Finger Contract when I incorporated this social contract into my relationship with my father. There were broken fingers all over the place. Let’s take politics, for example. I did not allow my father to make his own choices about specific issues (broken thumb), and I would often harangue him about the flaws in his point of view (broken pointer finger). This would cause him to become defensive, and the conversations often deteriorated into disrespect (broken middle finger). I had forgotten that my relationship with my father was, in fact, more important to me than being right about a particular issue (broken ring finger) or that there might be some value in my father’s ideas or opinions (broken pinky finger). By explaining the Five Finger Contract to him and agreeing to use this new tool as the bumper rails on our way to a better relationship, we spent an entire week road-tripping through Yellowstone without a single unpleasant incident. The quality of our conversations, and our relationship, immediately improved. 

The Five Finger Contract can do wonders for our communities when taught in simplicity and applied in complexity. It can improve our relationships with one another, heal old wounds, and lead to stronger bonds. It can alter how a person, a family, or even an entire community behaves toward one another, creating a safer environment for everyone to thrive. And if it can do all that, perhaps it can even help a chaotic third grade classroom save Dawson from a dangerous volcano.  

That wise seventh grader was really on to something. (Well done, Noah Orr!)