“Rating Your Teacher Team” by Vivian Troen and Katherine C. Boles
In recent years, many schools and districts have placed a higher priority on providing time and space for teachers to meet regularly and discuss student learning. The move to create these teacher teams has rested on research showing that students greatly benefit from having teachers who collaborate. However, it is often the case that teacher teams are unsuccessful at developing and implementing tasks that enrich student learning. In their article “Rating Your Teacher Team,” educational researchers Vivian Troen and Katherine C. Boles define five vital attributes of high-functioning teacher teams.[1] Drawing from their research, along with Eskolta’s experience in working with teacher teams, we offer the following tips on ways to improve and support effective teacher teams.
Outline specific team tasks. To create strong teacher teams, Troen and Boles recommend establishing specific team tasks. According to their research, “At the highest level of development, team meetings are directed toward improving the planning and measuring of student progress.” Identifying a specific, well-defined team goal related to student learning outcomes is key, as it ensures that the work of the team is focused on more than just logistics or immediate concerns, which can often consume team meetings. To do this, plan an introductory meeting that provides an overview of the goals of the teacher team, and provide opportunities for members to ask questions and suggest feedback on the goals prior to launching the project.
Promote shared leadership. Troen and Boles suggest that for teacher teams to function most effectively, they must flexibly distribute leadership roles to ensure that individual members’ expertise is valued and utilized to the fullest. They recommend making leadership roles “available to all team members in one way or another, and at one time or another.” Teams should distribute specific tasks to project leaders based on prior experience and interest to promote leadership within the group.
Create a climate of collaboration. While teachers are quite accustomed to giving students feedback, they are often less accustomed to receiving feedback from fellow colleagues. For professionals working in teacher teams, this can impede collaboration. According to Troen and Boles, “Successful teams do not shy away from conflict.” To encourage openness, structure team activities and questions in a manner that allows staff to respectfully provide each other feedback. Anticipate where and when to ask questions that could elicit conflict, and have a plan to address conflict when it arises. This will not only help team members understand and appreciate the value and lessons that exist in disagreements but also promote further collaboration.
Promote personal accountability. Since teachers are often overwhelmed by the demands of teaching, one of the biggest challenges to teacher teams is maintaining teacher involvement. Troen and Boles explain that “at the highest level … all members share responsibility for the team’s success and for the success of all its students.” To promote this kind of continued involvement, clearly identify each participant’s goals in relation to the work of the group, and deliberately define and distribute roles based on members’ goals. When members have a personal interest in a specific task, they are more likely to complete it. This will not only promote involvement and personal accountability but also mitigate the feeling of having additional work.
Establish clear structures and processes. In order for a team to be successful, each member needs to be able to understand and articulate the team’s processes for reaching its goals. Furthermore, Troen and Boles explain that “effective teams have a process for deciding if certain tasks are best accomplished by individuals or by the group”and “continuously [adapt] plans and processes to ensure that the team’s focus is on students’ learning needs.” Creating and sending out meeting agendas prior to meetings is one such procedure that supports the development of routine processes for teamwork. Structured agendas serve not only as a reminder for team meetings but also as a way to help team members ground themselves in ongoing work. Additionally, writing and sharing meeting notes with team members helps the group document progress and maintain a common understanding of the team’s work.
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[1]Troen, V. & Boles, K.C. (2011, November/December). Rating your teacher team: Five conditions for effective teams. Harvard Education Letter, 27 (6).