How to conduct a thoughtful Learning Club? Team Effectiveness How to conduct a thoughtful Learning Club?

Learning Club Rules for Engagement What makes a team successful? List 3 specific things. What drives you crazy about meetings? What could a team do to assure that it would not fail? If you had a chance to create the perfect team meeting, what would it be like? Create an analogy to describe it.

Evaluation Decision Making Participation Members participate fully both during meetings and after meetings. Attendance All members agree to attend every meeting. Reflection We will take the time to reflect before and at the end of the meeting to assess our new learning. Timeline We will start on time and end on time. 5 minutes before the end, we will chart our next steps. Interruptions We will not allow interruptions unless there is an emergency. Communication We will keep accurate meeting notes and share them with all members of the group within 3 days. Input We will give everyone an opportunity to provide input into our discussions. Preparation We will come to all meetings with assignments completed, prepared for sharing, and ready to contribute in discussions and decisions. Argument We will disagree respectfully and take time to listen to others points of views. Troubleshooting We engage in problem solving rather than blaming the circumstances when confronted with a challenge. Evaluation Decision Making We will take time to evaluate our effectiveness as a group and determine our level of accomplishment toward each of our goals.

Assumptions about Teamwork Teams exist for a purpose. Teams are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Skillful teamwork doesn’t just happen; teams must work at becoming effective. Teams move through stages of development. Team development becomes increasingly complex and dynamic as the team matures, requiring increasing levels of skill and trust on the part of the members.

Purpose: Why are we meeting? (purpose and goals) Every team member must understand the team’s PARTS if the team is to be effective Purpose: Why are we meeting? (purpose and goals) Attainment: What will the results look like when the goals are attained? Role & responsibilities: What roles and responsibilities will each member play to achieve the group’s goals? Tasks: What tasks will have to be completed to achieve the goals? Skill: What knowledge and skills will we need to acquire to achieve the goal and work effectively as a team?

Learning Club Members’ Roles: Teacher Leader The teacher leader is responsible for seeing that the team accomplishes its mission. The teacher leader does not do all the work, but provides guidance, support, and structure that allows all the members to contribute. The teacher-leader helps to establish group norms, shape the agenda for each meeting, and keep the group on task.

Learning Club Members’ Roles: Participants Each learning club member is responsible for participating fully in the club’s work by: Attending meetings Coming prepared Completing assignments between meetings Presenting work Reflecting upon practice Remaining open to new learning and learning from others

Learning Club Members Roles: Group Facilitator The group facilitator’s role is to make sure the group is working effectively. The facilitator makes sure the group members are adhering to the agreed-upon group norms, time is used effectively, and the group stops regularly to assess their overall effectiveness.

Meeting Structure Check In Agenda Ground Rules Present, Discuss, Decide and Review Check Out

Check In Check in is the first item on the agenda. It signals the official start of the meeting. Check in is short and is designed to move along quickly. Each individual is encouraged to make a brief statement of 5 to 15 seconds about his or her current frame of mind—but it is acceptable to pass. During check in, there should be no discussions. The check in helps group members: Settle in for the meeting Get mentally focused on the meeting Address a basic human need at the outset of the meeting Discard emotional distractions Learn about and be sensitive to others’ situations at the time of the meeting

Agenda and Ground Rules Taking a few moments to review the agenda: Focuses everyone’s attention on the content of the meeting Provides an opportunity for clarification, contribution of new ideas, and discarding any items if necessary Reminds everyone of the purpose and length of the meeting Helps the group self regulate Reminds people of the norms they have agreed upon

Present, Discuss, Decide, & Review This is the heart of the meeting. The majority of the group’s time is spent on this. An underlying goal is to ensure that all members have a chance to participate and contribute. Have one person summarize key points after each item on the agenda or after a member presents. Possible agenda items: Introduce or review a new tool or strategy Plan a lesson or unit Problem solve an issue Brag or bemoan Analyze student work

Four types of communication Sharing Discussion Dialogue Active listening

Check Out Conducted like a check in—one person at a time. Focuses on what happened in the meeting. Provides an opportunity to assess the group’s effectiveness. (strength and weakness) Allows individuals to have a final say. (This is not a time to bring up new items.)

Meeting Records Meeting records are essential to effective teams because they convey key meeting activities. A meeting record is typically a one- or two- page summary of the topics discussed, actions taken, decisions made, or assignment for the next meeting. Use a standard format. Include times, dates, and locations. Identify meeting participants. Keep track of key discussion items. Identify decisions that were made and assignments for next meeting. Summarize the learning. Put the meeting record in a template on your laptop and fill in as you go. Send it out electronically to appropriate people.

What to do between meetings Check with members between meetings to keep momentum and to correct any misconceptions. Encourage members to complete assignments between meetings. Send out minutes and summary after the meeting. Remind members of assigned tasks and what they need to bring with them to the next meeting. Ask members if they are confused about anything or need help in completing their assigned work.

Sample Meeting Agenda Fast Track Team Meeting Participants: All members in attendance October 22nd Time: 8:00am-10:30 Location: Conference Room Purpose/Goal: To make use of the best research-based instructional practice to improve student learning. Team Goal: To learn the phases of the Compare and Contrast strategy, to compare the strategy with our own experiences using Compare and Contrast, and to develop initial plans for implementing the strategy. Time Activity 8:00-8:15 Check in activity and review the purpose, goal, and agenda 8:15-8:30 Examine Compare and Contrast Portfolio 8:30-8:45 Discuss how we presently use Compare and Contrast in our classrooms 8:45-9:15 Participate in the Compare and Contrast lesson 9:15-9:30 Compare our use of Compare and Contrast with the phases of Compare and Contrast 9:30-10:00 Brainstorm ideas and generate initial plans for Compare and Contrast lessons 10:00-10:15 What are the next steps? 10:15-10:30 Check out activity: What? So What? Now What?

Team Planning Form Team Member Date Mission: A brief statement of purpose that includes why we are meeting   Goals: Specific end results or outcomes we need to achieve Tasks: A list of specific activities that we will engage in to achieve our goals Timeline: Timeline we will follow to achieve our goals

Four Stages of Group Matrix Forming Storming Norming Performing

Forming: Orientation process Members want to know the goals, expectations, and tasks to be done and how the group will operate. Issues are discussed in a polite way. People are harmonious and reluctant to share concerns or delve into their work deeply.

Storming: A period of frustration and some confusion among members Conflict around the issue of leadership, power, control, and influence Norms are tested and not adhered to. Roles and responsibilities need to be clarified. The mission of team needs to be reinforced. Chaos and conflict in some form is an essential part of this phase in building community and teamwork. The problem is not the presence of chaos or conflict but rather getting stuck in it.

Norming: A period where the team resolves many conflicts and establishes norms of behavior that contribute to team productivity More attentive sharing occurs and people are willing to begin to look at their work more critically. People start to remove their own barriers to communicate and let go of their defensiveness. People speak more personally and are willing to share their experiences.

Performing: The team can now focus fully on performance and results. All attention is directed toward improvement and achievement. Group members own problems and look for solutions. High levels of cooperation and caring – conflicts are not allowed to fester. Participants ask for more meaningful feedback from group members. People feel rewarded for their participation. Creative energy often appears spontaneously. Team becomes very efficient; leadership is spontaneous and comes from all members of the team.

Effective Learning Clubs are SUCCESSFUL because their members:   Share their beliefs and their efforts with each other Unlock their passions and work together to create a vision of high quality instruction in every classroom Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Choose “Best Bets” to focus attention of instructional techniques proven to raise student achievement Establish goals that are aligned with the school’s and district’s goals Stay “close and curious”; work together as “cheerleaders,” not “checkers” of each other’s work. Seek positive and effective ways to overcome resistance Find time to praise team members’ efforts Use student work analysis to improve results Look for ways to expand their instructional expertise