How can we better develop the mindsets and skills that lead to terrific teamwork as we teach students.
I was reminded of this recently as I broke students up into math teams. Some teams quickly made a plan, worked together, and made good progress with the task while other teams sat far from each other and didn't even talk as they completed the task. There's work to do. Important work since research demonstrates that when students work together they all learn more.
I was also reminded of this recently during a number of meetings I was involved in at the professional level. The meetings that used good process were efficient and growth producing while the meetings that had no process or little teamwork ended up with greater redundancy and little progress. This leads me to wonder about the most effective steps for good teamwork and collective, collaborative learning. I'll continue to think and work on that in the weeks to come.
In the meantime, I'll return to the collaborative chart I planned to use early in the year, and then I'll use the graphic at the top of the page to foster an open mindset to a positive mindset and behaviors for effective collaboration.
As our schools move from isolation to collaboration, I too am learning these skills so as I foster this learning with students, they will also foster the learning for me. I look forward to the growth.
