With the Common Core approaching I thought it might be a nice time for teachers to come together to plan for this adventure together. I've been on teams that communicated well and those that have not. I really like when I can find at least one person on the team that holds themselves to the same high standards that I hold myself to. I enjoy delving more into my chosen career through my readings but not everyone is on the same path and not everyone wants to grow....we've all seen it.
Helen Keller said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
BUT I think it takes a certain kind of organization to not let it get out of control (one person doing all the talking, talking and preparing but getting little done, etc.). Time to plan together is so little. We are all go, go, go all the time. So for your time to be effective and useful there need to be some ground rules that you all agree upon. Here are some suggestions:
-Write down goals to accomplish.
-Set a time limit to each goal.
-Have one member take the time and stop when it goes over.
-Divide any work that is left and schedule when it is due.
-If someone is really passionate about something let them take the reigns and focus your attention on another need that is important to you.
-As a team member, know when to let go and when to stick to it. That basically means that you need to know what is most important to you and fight for it. Knowing what you will and won't deal with will really help with time.
-Try to see each person's strenghts and encourage them to use them.
I always assume that everyone wants to work as hard as I do but that isn't the case. I am constantly reminded that everyone is working on their own path, so be patient!
Here is a planning sheet to keep your team on track:
Teacher Talk
Good luck in getting your teams off to the right start!
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