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Teams need to talk—This is rule number one. The following tips are necessary, but begin with this critical rule: Meet as often and as regularly as possible.

There’s more to teaming than a name—Creating a team name helps develop a sense of unity and identity for teachers and students. Perhaps more critical to a team’s eventual success, however, is setting the right climate. Providing an atmosphere that allows for risks and failures should be a key component of every team’s plan. Work together to establish rules and expectations. Consider that adolescents may have as many as seven different teachers, each with a different set of expectations. Navigating that road to success would be difficult for anyone. Simplify the rules. Let your team demonstrate the importance of consistency.

Team longevity—The longer teams stay together, the more likely it is that they will be able to make successful changes. Ideally, that means a team will be together for several years. This time helps members learn to work well together. To keep things fresh, sit down together at the beginning of each year to establish new team goals. Look for new teaching strategies, new lessons, innovative interdisciplinary units, or new methods for sharing curriculum. As team members learn to trust each other, they learn to try new ideas.

Never grade papers during a team meeting—Some educators might consider this an insult to their intelligence, but it happens and it’s harmful. Team time should be sacred. We all have too much to do and tasks often accumulate and seem unmanageable. The good news is that you are part of a team, so the best way to handle these challenges is to approach them as a team. Divide and conquer. Look for good ways to share the workload. Removing yourself from a team meeting to grade papers is not one of them.

Keep a journal of parent contacts—One of the most frustrating aspects of calling parents is hearing them tell you that no teacher has ever called them concerning

their children. This may or may not be true, but it presents you with a real challenge: You have to establish a level of communication and trust with a skeptical parent. Start by keeping a written record of all parent communications. It helps to have written support when dealing with tough issues. Include examples of intervention strategies that your team has used. Consider keeping a similar communications log for all contacts with students.

Set the agenda—Although this task might seem like more paperwork, it’s important. Have you ever sat in a meeting and after 45 minutes realized that your time was wasted? This is largely due to distractions and poor planning, and it frustrates everyone involved. Focused, clear agendas usually result in successful meetings.  Some items to remember when planning an agenda.

 

 

 

1. Brevity is best—An agenda should never be too lengthy.

2. Keep it focused on student success—Talk about all of your students, not only the disruptive ones. Share student work samples, explore ways to reward the positive, discuss individual students’ progress, and periodically invite students to your team meetings.

3. Talk about curriculum—At the beginning of the week, each team member should share what he or she plans to cover during the next five days. Discuss future tests, assignments, and projects. This is a great opportunity for team members to learn new ways to teach concepts. For example, if you know that the science teacher is exploring the solar system next month and in language arts you plan to launch into a unit on science fiction literature, join forces and teach them together. If you never discuss  your curriculum, you and your students will miss the natural connections that exist between different subjects.

4. Follow up—Educators are so creative! We think of great ideas. The problem is we sometimes forget who is supposed to do  what. Sound familiar? Here’s a way to avoid this pattern: At the end of a team meeting of thinking, creating, and brain-storming, assign specific tasks and due dates to each team member.

 

 

Original publication information:

Classroom Connections, April 2001, Vol. 3, No. 4.

National Middle School Association

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