Community of Difference approach….

The community of difference approach was originally devised to enable schools to become more inclusive in terms of greater acceptance of minority racial groups (look up Sheilds, C 1999)

However, the fundamental principles can be used to build a community compact within your school. I have used this approach to recognize and utilize the diversity across differing values and beliefs of folks, and to create a place of acceptance – becoming relational as opposed to institutional. Not only has it been successful in achieving greater outcomes, it has help form a stronger educational philosophy and leadership framework.

I believe there is a fundamental set of guideposts in creating a community of difference. You need:
purpose,
context,
culture
philosophy, and
practices of schooling.

For mine, I believe there is:
the need to understand that education has a moral purpose -- providing an opportunity for all children to be successful and to increase their life chances,
the need to know the context of your school -- who is well represented and who is not; who is well served by existing programs and practices and who is not,
the need to understand and question the culture of your school, for we have recognized that schools are not neutral places, but tend to perpetuate the dominance and privilege of people who have power and to continue to exclude and silence those who do not,
the importance of developing a philosophy that encourages all members of the school community to take responsibility for learning, a philosophy that permits conflict to come to the surface where it may be explored and injustices challenged.
the need to examine school practices in an ongoing cycle of reflection and manageable change.