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             Thomas O. Erb and Chris Stevenson examined the question, “What Difference Does Teaming Make?” in the January 1999 issue of the Middle School Journal.  In that article they cited research regarding the impact of frequency and length of team planning time.  Among the benefits listed were:

 

· Increased time to interact with counselors, media specialists, resource teachers, social workers, nurses, and administrators provided a richer array of resources when teachers encountered instructional, management, or student behavior problems

· More opportunities to integrate curriculum

· Greater parental contact and involvement

· Increased teachers’ perceptions of the quality of teaming resulting in more positive attitude about their work as teachers

 

             Having common planning time is an integral component of an exemplary middle school.  But having that time without carefully designed procedures and expectations will not result in greater student achievement.  If the time is to be meaningful, teams must have an agenda for every meeting and a record must be kept of the proceedings.  At the meeting, teachers should establish a team calendar.  This can be done on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis depending on the needs of the team.  At the very least, that calendar should include the topics that will be taught in each class (this allows teachers an opportunity to look for curricular connections), type and time when assessments will be given (this prevents students from having more than one major assessment due at the same time), and the instructional strategies that will be used (this helps to ensure that students are not having any one strategy being used in every class.)

MAKING THE MOST OF

TEAM PLANNING TIME

 

By Gail Heinemeyer

Common planning time can be used for any or all of the following activities:

 

· Grouping and regrouping students for instruction

· Sharing major curriculum topics

· Building team calendars

· Integrating instruction

· Setting consistent behavioral expectations

· Planning to reinforce a study skill, literacy strategy, or social skill

· Creating a team identity

· Meeting with school personnel - administrators, counselors, special subject teachers

· Discussing students – both achievements and concerns

· Holding collaborative student/parent conferences

· Engaging in staff development tasks

· Sharing successful teaching experiences

· Conducting a problem solving or decision making session

· Planning team celebrations

 

             One very efficient way to check on every student is to ask team members to bring their class lists with them to spend a few minutes reading the names while every member of the team gives a thumbs up (doing okay) or thumbs down (academic, social, or behavioral problem) signal.  The team recorder lists the names of any students who get a thumbs down and then the team can go back and discuss that student.  Teams can do a class a day and know that every student is being monitored on a regular basis.

 

             Team time should be viewed as sacred and should not be considered as personal time.  Team members have to commit to being at the meeting on time, engaging in the team discussion, and staying for the entire meeting. Valuable time is wasted if there is no agenda or focus for the meeting, there are too few or to many people at the meeting or if key people are missing.  We all know that the demands on teachers’ time are great, but it is imperative to utilize team time to focus on team and student concerns. Make the most of common planning time.  It is one of the most effective things you have to help increase student achievement.