Living Our Values

On Friday, September 26, Chatham Hall students gathered in Yardley Dining Hall with their rotation lunch groups for a thought-provoking and hands-on learning experience. Alongside faculty and staff who had recently worked with Charles Weathers of The Weathers Group, students engaged in activities designed to explore social norms, biases, and the ways we live together in a vibrant, all-girls community.

Each table, composed of students and faculty, was presented with two real-life scenarios and invited to enact them before engaging in reflection and discussion. Using our Civil Discourse statements and helpful sentence stems, students practiced building the skills that help our community thrive: listening with curiosity, speaking their truth, and responding with compassion.

Scenarios in Action: Real Boarding School Experiences
From English class debates to planning Chapel services, the scenarios mirrored situations our students may encounter in daily life at Chatham Hall. The group then navigated the impact of potential comments together, using Civil Discourse practices to unpack feelings and perspectives. Groups reflected on how to handle disagreement respectfully while ensuring all voices were heard.

Structured Reflection and Skill-Building
Students worked in small groups of five to six, including one or two faculty members. Roles were assigned to guide the activity: one student enacted a comment, another received it, one or two observed, and the faculty facilitated the debrief. After each scenario, groups reflected using prompts such as:

Provided by The Weathers Group.

Observers led discussions on what was challenging, what was successful, and how students can continue to support each other in creating a respectful and inclusive environment.

Living Chatham Hall Values Every Day
Through this activity, students practiced core Chatham Hall values:

This hands-on approach to civil discourse reminds us that Chatham Hall is more than a school—it is a living, learning community where we practice the values that shape how we live together. Every discussion, reflection, and act of listening strengthens the bonds that allow students to thrive academically, socially, and personally.

At Chatham Hall, we live, learn, and grow together, turning every conversation into an opportunity to practice trust, deepen understanding, and empower one another to live positive lives of impact. 


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHATHAM HALL AND OUR VALUES AT AN UPCOMING EVENT OR CAMPUS VISIT!