teacher teams that work! amle conference november 7, 2014 nashville, tn presentation by: dr....
TRANSCRIPT
Teacher Teams That Work!
AMLE Conference November 7, 2014Nashville, TN
Presentation by:Dr. Michelle Williams, Ms. Leah Kahn,
Dr. Caudia Whitley
Introduction“That teaming on the middle level outlived the fad period of the 1960’s, and since then has been identified as an approved practice in the middle school, perhaps attests to its relevence there. Teaming is a hallmark of genuine middle school education.”
-William G. Wraga 1997
ActivitySave the Worm!Your group must save the worm from drowning because his boat is
quickly sinking! You must get the life preserver around his middle to save him. You can only use the three paperclips on your desk to accomplish this task. No one in the group may touch the worm, the cup, or the life preserver with their hands. You only have three minutes to save the worm! You’d better have a good plan!
Think About It----• What was the quality of teamwork
during this activity?• Did someone emerge as a leader? If
so, was the leadership helpful or was it a deterrent to getting the job done efficiently?
• Did you observe any other team roles emerging?
Phases of a Developing Team• Take a moment to complete the
survey about how you think your team has developed/is developing. Add up your score and then check to see where your team fits.
• Turn and talk to your shoulder partner about what you found out about your team through completing this activity.
Stages of Team Development1. Forming2. Storming3. Norming4. Performing
Forming• Excited and confused
• New roles not clear
• Process skills ineffective
• Accept little responsibility for team output.
• Uncertain of principal’s expectation.
• Honeymoon period.
Forming Activities• Develop a team mission, vision, and goals.
• Establish team’s identity - begin a notebook.
• Coordinate expectations and norms.
• Get to know each other and COMMUNICATE.
• Work with principal, AP, and counselor.
• Begin discussions about academic disciplines.
• Begin educating parents.
• Support students.
Storming• Members feel better about the team.
• Team norms developing.
• Process skills ineffective.
• Team confidence grows.
• Communication improves.
• Members are learning to deal with conflict.
Storming Activities• Monitor mission, vision and goals.
• Enhance identity and keep up notebook.
• Monitor expectations and policies.
• Continue to build relationships.
• Continue to work with administrators, counselors and parents.
• Continue academic discussions and COMMUNICATE.
• Determine professional development needs.
• Support students and resolve conflict.
Norming• Members are committed to the success of the team and as
they work together loyalty grows.
• Members begin to question past policies and practices.
• Process skills improve.
• Low performing members hidden.
• Members begin to plan, direct, and control the tasks and activities of the team and share success with other teams on campus.
• Minimal conflict arises as communication and interpersonal skills improve.
Norming Activities• Evaluate and update mission, vision and goals.
• Enhance identity and continue updating notebook.
• Monitor expectations and policies - evaluate for possible changes.
• Continue to work with administrators and counselors.
• Continue dialogue about academics and integrate critical components into all content areas.
• Analyze student data to make instructional decisions and evaluate scope and sequence.
• Plan and implement integrated units of instruction.
Additional Norming Activities• Analyze and adjust student schedules.
• Evaluate and enhance community connections.
• Attend appropriate professional development activities.
• Investigate study activities for entire team.
• Work to develop inter-team relationships.
• Communicate and support students.
• Resolve conflicts and make decisions based on consensus.
Performing• Team has a high level of trust and commitment.
• Members do business based on student needs and the collective strengths of team members.
• Process skills are highly developed.
• All team members are leaders.
• Members plan, direct, and control the tasks of the team with minimal input from administrators. Team success is shared campus-wide.
• Interpersonal skills of members are strong.
• Continuous improvement and quality work - for students and team members - become strong values.
Performing Activities• Evaluate and update mission, vision, and goals.
• Implement team activities, communicate, and maintain team identity and notebook.
• Implement changes in expectations and policies as needed.
• Nurture strong, supportive team relationships - Welcome, support and assist new team members.
• Utilize administrators and counselors as resources.
• Reorder scope and sequence of curriculum based on common topics/themes for continuity
• Deliberately integrate critical curriculum components into all content areas.
Additional Performing Activities• Analyze student data for instructional decision-making.
• Expand the use of integrated instruction.
• Make community connections and ensure that parents are partners in the teaming process.
• Analyze and adjust student schedules as appropriate.
• Attend professional development activities to increase capacity of the team.
• Visit problematic students in other classes.
• Celebrate inter-team relationships and campus-wide successes.
• Support students.
Video
Stages of Teaming – Remember the Titans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OopKk3G2tY
Think-Pair-Share
• Review your survey results – share with your partner the status of your current team.
• What works?
• What needs improvement?
Teaming Style• Wishbones: Those who wish someone else
would do the work
• Jawbones: Those who talk a great deal but do little else
• Knucklebones: Those who “knock” what everyone else does
• Backbones: Those who get down and do the work
Team Decision Making Activity Directions
• The team leader is the shortest person in your group.
• As a group, read the scenario and follow the instructions of your team leader.
• Each team leader will be given written instructions.
ScenarioYour principal has asked each team at your middle school to make a decision regarding late work. She is allowing each team to develop their own policy for late work and would like each team to write up a policy they feel they could implement successfully to deal with this issue.
Sharing – Tallest person• Share your team’s decision.• Describe your decision making
process.• Was everyone’s voice heard?• Were there winners/losers?• How did you feel about the decision?
Decision Making Processes: • Authoritarian – why give
opinion• Minority – resentment - cliques• Majority (voting) - losers• Consensus – all agree or at
least to live with the decision
When to use consensus• Issue is important and team unity is worth the
time and effort.• Sense of synergy among team members is
needed.• Situation calls for a number of possible
solutions.• When the solution to a problem creates more
problems.• More time is needed to prevent jumping into a
“quick fix.”• When the decision is final
Three considerations• Each must feel that he/she is heard and
understood.• Each must be able to “live with” the
decision or solution for a designated length of time (no sabotage).
• Each member must commit his/her role in carrying out the decision or implementing the solution.
Important -• Use “I” language• Stay on-task • Communicate clearly• Talk tentatively “What
if”• Distinguish facts from
opinions.• Avoid defensiveness.• Listen – see others’
viewpoints.
• Commit to a “win-win” solution.
• Avoid competition.• Be able to say “no.”• Listen to others and
synthesize the areas of agreement.
• Be patient and do not rush into the first solution proposed.
• Maintain a sense of humor.
Think, Pair, Share
• Pick one of the quotes on the next slide.
• Share with your shoulder partner how you might reply to the critical comment.
• Share with the group.
Criticism of Interdisciplnary Teaming
“Interdisciplinary teaming requires too much time. The demands of high stakes testing require me to cover so much curriculum that I don’t have time to plan with an interdisciplinary team.”
“Interdisciplinary teaming just isn’t conducive to our schedules. All the teachers in our grade level have different schedules and no common planning time. On top of that, our administration doesn’t really support it.”
Conclusion: Inspirational video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue3hCVHtZZY
CEU Code: OP-86
Contact information:Leah Kahn [email protected] Williams [email protected]
Claudia Whitley [email protected]
Stephen F. Austin State UniversityDepartment of Elementary Education
936-468-2904