Team Building: What, Why, How Dr. Catherine Stephens and Dr. Kay Boan Franklin Special School District
Take a Seat; Meet a Friend Relationships are Key! Deconstructing team building experiences is powerful!
Team Building: WHAT Article Review Four Steps How to Create A Positive School Climate Quick Guide to Teacher Team Building Step 1 Read the article. Take notes and/or highlight. Step 2 Sentences. Select a sentence from the selection that you find significant. Share it with your group. Group members listen only no discussion. Step 3 Words. Select a word from the selection that you find significant. Share it with your group. Group members listen only no discussion. Step 4 Discussion. Discuss what you heard/learned from the selection read.
Team Building: WHAT To have a strong team, we must BUILD a strong team! WHAT IT IS Ongoing process over time Activities support team issues and goals Builds a culture of collaboration & cooperation Relevant & Meaningful WHAT IT IS NOT Not a single event or activity Not random activities to take up time Not targeted at one individual Not a quick fix
Team Building: Why The positives are powerful and enlightening for all engaged in the experiences! Promoting team spirit Building relationships Developing trust Strengthening communication Fostering leadership Breaking down barriers Highlighting strengths
Team Building: How Determine appropriate times retreats, faculty meetings, leadership team meetings, professional learning days, etc. Evaluate desired outcomes get to know one another, break down barriers, strengthen problem solving, understand the power of team versus the power of one, etc. Research team building experiences to find best fit for need. Reflect on the experience and plan questions to deconstruct the activity to help transition the learning into the work setting.
Team Building: Resources Websites Books Videos
Team Building: Testimonials A good team building exercise encourages creativity, enables better communication, increases employee trust, promotes new problem solving skills, and leads to increased productivity, collaboration and camaraderie down the road. ~School Board Member It has helped me make connections with some people that I don't regularly work with. With a better comfort level with all team members, it has made conversations with them easierwhether we are talking about general topics- or more difficult situations. It makes handling difficult situations easier. It changes the way you approach a team member when you understand who they are and can appreciate that. ~District T&L Member Our team building experiences have been impactful in becoming more purposeful in the way in which we work with others. Each of the activities we have done helps fulfill the desire any individual has to feel: needed, validated, understood, supported, and connected. We have all grown in our capacity to work with others! ~Principal Relationships are vitally important as we team together to positively impact student learning; therefore, team building experiences lead to a better knowledge of the various attributes of each person and enhances the collaborative work of the organization. ~Director of Schools
Team Building: Testimonials Team building is more than just game playing. These activities provide a direct focus to a group in order to move the team towards a specific goal or purpose. By using team building activities, the group is strengthened by building trust, gaining personal knowledge and insight into the lives of individuals. This trust fosters creativity, confidence and teamwork. The release of tension through fun, laughter and engaging activities provides a much needed escape from the stresses of our work. ~District Supervisor As we plan campus based professional development, we incorporate team building exercises we have done as a district administrative team with our faculty. Team building has proven to be especially important when there are many new faces on our staff. There are instances when some staff members never come into contact with each other during the school day, so team building exercises allows everyone to get to know each other. ~Principal Our team building exercises have allowed me to interact with others in a way that gives a perspective I would never have considered. It really makes you realize how much work and how many people are directly responsible for the success of every single student. We bring these activities back and have our teachers do most, if not all of them. The feedback is always so positive and you can really see the relationships being built. ~Assistant Principal
Thanks for participating in our session! Feel free to email us: stephenscat@fssd.org and/or boankay@fssd.org