The Basics of Teacher Team Building – Part 2

WHAT IS A TEAM?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Some said it was school staff having one aim, being a whole, cooperative, flexible, working together, reporting to one boss, or providing an education for the child.  So, a team is any group of people organized to work together!

 Webster’s dictionary says it is: 1. A group on the same side (like a game) and  2. A group organized to work together.

 Thus simply, team teaching is a method of classroom instruction in which several teachers combine their individual efforts to work together to teach a group of children interdependentlyand cooperatively to meet the needs of children and helping the school accomplish its purposeand goals.  Teams are created for both long term and short-term interactions.  They try to work out plans weekly with short-term goals and plan the year for long-term goals.

SO, WHY IS A TEAM SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Answer:  The purpose for creating a team is to provide a framework that will increase the ability of staff to participate in helping plan, problem solve and making better decisions to serve our children.  By doing this, it Increases participation and promotes:                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1.  Better understanding of decisions,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2.    2.  More support for and participation in implementation of plans,                                                                                                                                                                                                        3. Increased contribution to problem solving and decision- making.

In order for the school staff to fulfill their intended roles of improving effectiveness, it is critical that the team develops this working relationship with each other and focus together on school’s goals for the children and the reason for why we are here.

15 Rock Solid Benefits of working together:

1. Getting to know each other better

•   1. Getting to know each other better
•   2. Bonding and improve morale
• 3. Building team spirit
• 4. Encouraging tolerance and understanding
•  5. Creating a sense of belonging and connectivity
•  6.  Creating a climate of cooperation and collaborative problem solving                                                                                                                                                                         Improving motivation
•   7. Improving communication within the group.  
•   8. Team development – Building a community with a common purpose
•   9. Developing trust, care, compassion, kindness and creating empathy (Trusting each other AND yourselves)
• 10. Building self-esteem  
• 11. Creating an understanding and awareness of individual differences, personality strengths and weaknesses
• 12. Breaking down barriers
• 13. Creativity – Doing things differently! Out of the box!!
• 14. Looking for higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment
• 15. And all the time … Having a huge amount of FUN

Part 3 will focus on our social reactions and good qualities of a teacher!