My team will continue to learn and grow, as people and as teachers who are working together to make each other stronger. Would you be up for the task? Here are some alternatives to Ground Rules: Revisiting norms frequently helps people monitor their participation in meetings and develop common language to discuss how the group works together. Face-to-face contact with colleagues and teammates is essential. This content is provided by our sponsor. Alexandria, VA 22311-1714. Rather, it was something that we intentionally cultivated from the moment we met. By the time students get to middle and high school, they are ready to learn about classroom norms instead of simple rules. Norms may be written or may evolve as unwritten understandings over time. For example, this person could be charged with reporting back to the group about the number of people who arrived on time to a meeting or the number of times each person spoke. Instead of problem solving through open discussion, for instance, they might start by having everyone silently write ideas for addressing a challenge on sticky notes and then work together to sort the ideas and discuss inter­connections. The group is asked to identify "pluses," things that worked well in the meeting, and "deltas," things to change for next time to improve how the group works together (the Greek letter delta is also a symbol for change). My team has a toolbox of practices that we implement in our meetings. Teachers learned and did some activities about social norms during the workshop. See more ideas about classroom norms, classroom, norm. As a general rule, limiting the number of norms to 5–7 makes it easier for teams to keep them in mind. Although we may never settle on a definitive answer, there is a lot that we can discover about each other along the way. When conflict arises in our work, it is far easier to navigate because we have a better understanding of the people on our team. 2. Asking more from students, research shows, makes them care more about their work. Oh, and nobody cares if your roots are showing or your office is messy! • We will not complain about a problem unless we can offer a solution. Big-picture conversations have helped my team develop a better understanding of our philosophies on discipline, teaching style, student voice, and community. 1  We are in the process of graduating another group of students, and we want to ensure that we are creating experiences for our students that will have a long-term impact. Laziness is universal, but so is the upside to effort. They set the expectations for the group, encourage risk taking and participation, and establish accountability. If the team will be exploring how issues of race, diversity, inclusion, and equity play out within their school or system, it is especially important to consider a set of norms that will make that conversation productive.1. Reminding a colleague about a norm can feel uncomfortable, which is why it is so helpful to practice doing so as part of the norms-setting process. Think of norms as “a behavior contract,’’ said Kathryn Blumsack, an educational consultant from Maryland who specializes in team development. Request Free Use; Professional Development; Blog; Login; Admin – Team Norms. When push comes to shove, it is important that we have a compass and a roadmap so we can make sure that we are giving our students the education they deserve. As a general rule, limiting the number of norms to 5–7 makes it easier for teams to keep them in mind. On July 24, 2016, a photo of Philando Castile hangs on the gate of the governor’s residence in St. Paul, Minn., as protesters demonstrate against the deadly shooting of Castile by a police officer during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minn. 3. We've seen people agree to raise an eyebrow, tap their chin, or even hum when they feel a norm is being broken. As educators, we have the power to work toward a "new normal" on our teams. Team norms can be developed during an early team meeting, preferably the first meeting, and more norms can be added as the team deems their addition necessary. 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. 1. Although these norms were originally developed to support school-based teams as they work through the Data Wise Improvement Process, we have found that they can be useful in a variety of settings, from teacher team meetings to central office workshops to faculty meetings at colleges and universities. Improving education to meet the needs of all students requires that we deliberately engage the voices of all educators. … One way to know what has been lost is through testing, but is it reasonable, Thu., January 21, 2021, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Use Enriching Teachers for free to manage your teams for distance learning. And let's face it: There is a very real power dynamic at play if a teacher is thinking about pointing out that his principal is breaking the start and end on time norm by showing up to a meeting 10 minutes late. Some start with a blank slate and brainstorm norms together. Educators have a responsibility to eradicate systemic racism, writes Malcolm J. Gillard. Setting and sticking to shared agreements can transform team dynamics. If we want to encourage our students to be kind and empathetic critical thinkers, then we must reflect these values both in how we interact with our fellow teachers and in the decisions we make as a team. They can spend less time silently fuming and more time laughing out loud at how many reminders everyone needs to live up to the expectations for inclusive teamwork that they have set for themselves. We use different strategies for different purposes, but we have been intentional and consistent about making sure we are taking care of each other so that we can take care of our students. Most newly organizing teams find it effective to start out with an initial set of norms with the understanding that these will need to be reviewed and modified frequently. While this process may not seem efficient at first, creating a shared vision will save you time in the long run. 1703 North Beauregard St. Kathryn Parker Boudett is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she also serves as director of the Master's Program in Learning and Teaching and director of the Data Wise Project. When we learned that almost 30% of those administrators believe that getting their teachers to collaborate is one of their biggest challenges, we tend to wonder where the disconnect is. Team Norms . Norms represent promises made between team members, ensure commitment and trust, protect team members, and strengthen the learning team experience for every member. EdWeek Market Brief Associate Editor Michele Molnar, who was instrumental in launching the publication, succumbed to cancer. 5. When discussing a draft set of norms with large teams, we often allow time for people to turn to the person next to them and check in about how they feel about the list. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff. *Begin Development Of And Complete The Team Smart Goal. If we don't keep our norms alive, they will be of no use to us when we get to this point. For example, initially the third Meeting Wise norm was simply assume positive intentions. But the truth is, our team did not become cohesive by accident—and it was certainly not inevitable. Just as a school must have a mission and vision statement that everyone buys into, every team of teachers needs a shared mission and vision. Formulate The Plan Of Action. 2. It can be useful for team members to share their thinking with a partner or with the whole group. The team of second grade teachers came up with a list of team norms or expectations for when we meet during both our PLC and team meetings. t 3 TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS PAGE 9 National Staff Development Council • 800-727-7288 • www.nsdc.org SEPTEMBER 2006 NSDC TOOL WHAT TEACHER LEADERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT . We will only make meaningful improvements in teaching and learning for all students if we bring in everyone's perspectives and hear voices that historically have been less audible, even silenced. I am lucky that my team mates are experts at their craft and have a rare passion for education. 1. First, they watched an example of learning videos about social norms. This can take the pressure off individuals to decide how and when to point out norm violations. With norms the teacher asks students to consider how they wish to be treated by others and how they want their class to interact with one another. Using humor in a low-stakes situation can help a group come up with playful ways to hold themselves accountable when it really matters. Then, at the beginning of each meeting, the facilitator presents a summary of the plus/delta feedback from the prior meeting and explains how the feedback was taken into account while planning the current meeting. Norms that simply hang on a poster in the classroom or teacher's room will not create a positive school culture; they need to be discussed and used daily to guide interactions and behavior. What will we do if we disagree? Admin – Team Norms Ashley Mauger 2020-08-28T09:10:55-04:00. Throughout the years, we have supported each other in our quest to provide the best educational experience possible for the young people that we serve. To ensure that norms are top of mind, some teams display them on a table tent during each meeting. Teams that agree to this norm commit to maintaining a growth mindset, meaning they give individuals an opportunity to address their blind spots and they resolve, as a team, to learn their way into working together more effectively. People with less positional power than others in the room may be hesitant to speak up. 51% OFF the cover price. Schoolwide and classroom norms are the foundation for respectful behavior among all in the school community. Once a draft set of norms is in place, it is time to ask: Are there any norms in this list that we can't live with? ➛ How could norms, implemented intentionally, guide the work of a school or district team you're on? But when discussing this norm, we encourage groups to hash out what they mean by "evidence." For example, Darnisa Amante's Disruptive Equity Education Project and Glenn Singleton's Courageous Conversation protocol involve having people make explicit agreements about how they will engage in conversations about race. This level of support would not be possible without our team’s shared vision and values. Feb 26, 2014 - Explore Mpowered Educators's board "Classroom Norms" on Pinterest. 4. Establish meeting norms and practices for your team. Your meeting norms can (and should) address things like expectations, participation, decision making, communication, confidentiality, listening, time management, office culture, and handling disagreements. In a year marked by loss, we can’t forget the most important thing we do as teachers, writes Justin Minkel: We make sure every child knows they’re loved. It will be easier to uphold norms during a real meeting if team members rehearse saying statements like, "I've noticed that we've been hearing from about half of the team during this discussion, and keeping in mind our norm of hearing all voices, I'm wondering if we might open up space for others to contribute." During this time, team members can rate themselves on how well they think they are following each norm and choose a norm to focus on for the remainder of the meeting. It can feel much more authentic to define evidence to include specific and descriptive statements from team members' own lived experiences or their observations of their students. Consider using norms that address the common behavioral challenges with virtual meetings. As we move beyond test scores to a more holistic picture of students and school, Wed., January 13, 2021, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Select the three dots next to the team name and choose ‘Team Norms.’ When you do this, you will be taken to a page where you can see all the current norms for one of your teams. Establish meeting norms and practices for your team. They are the rules that govern how we interact with each other, how we conduct business, how we make decisions, how we com- municate, even how we dress when we get together. Simply put, this is the assumption that other members of the team are acting from positive and constructive intentions (however much we may disagree with their ideas). of norms that governs individual behavior, facilitates the work of the team, and enables the team to accomplish its task. For example, a quick survey about norms might reveal that half the group thinks that the norm be here now is being followed "almost never," while half the group thinks it's being followed "all of the time." In support of our fellow team members and our students, we have rallied and redesigned systems. The important part is not how well the pieces are written—it is the process of reflecting and sharing with each other. Adapted from Meeting Wise: Making the most of collaborative time for educators Our team believes that every teacher is a leader, and each of us has our own leadership style. This very task was handed to my colleagues and me at the beginning of our second year together. Select the three dots next to the team name and choose ‘Team Norms.’ You … These norms are put in place so that various points of view are offered and discussed among the team and not just by the will of the people in the right. Teacher – Team Norms To view the teams norms for a team, go to the ‘My Teams’ page. Especially in a larger group, it can be useful to gather and discuss evidence on how well the group thinks each norm is being followed. Call them something other than ground rules. Transparency: avoid hidden agendas. The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the nation’s mental health and equity concerns, has accelerated the shift in the accountability landscape. The word “rules” automatically makes many people bristle and the goal is to appeal to everyone on your team. ➛ Which of the Meeting Wise norms would be most applicable to your team? Norms inspire active participation and offer "concrete tools to improve"..instruction and leadership. When we are working with a group, we periodically include a "norms check-in" as an agenda item. It may be silly, but these types of agreed-upon gestures can get the job done: They provide a way for the group to hold itself to its shared promises. 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