Team Norms
Team Norms
Embedded Files
Collaborative Teams develop norms or commitments to guide members of the team in how to work together to achieve their shared goals. ”They help us answer questions like: How will we treat one another? How will we engage with challenging content? What will we do if we disagree?” - ASCD Article “The Power of Team Norms”
Developing Team Norms
Developing Team Norms
Establish team norms:
Team reflects on negative behaviors from the past.
Individuals generate ideal behaviors that have a positive impact on collaboration.
Reflect on purpose and goals and connect to creating an environment to reach the goals.
Narrow team norms to no more than 10.
Sample Protocol - Solution Tree
Develop shared understanding:
Describe what each norm will look like, sound like when followed.
Connect the purpose and importance to each one.
Agree on how to handle Norms Violations:
Role play scenarios and test out different ways to address violations.
Record plan of action for norm violations somewhere accessible to all.
Implementing Team Norms
Implementing Team Norms
Display team norms:
Display on a Table Tent or Poster in the PLC room.
Post at top of Agenda to review before each meeting.
Keep the focus on norms:
Ask team to identify a norm that they most value as they work on the tasks for that day
Appoint a team member to serve as the "norms checker" for each meeting
Periodically include a "norms check-in" as an agenda item
Reflecting on Team Norms
Reflecting on Team Norms
Survey the Team:
Identify "pluses,” things that worked well in the meeting, and "deltas," things to change for next time to improve how the group works together.
Quick Fist to Five and ask group to explain why they rated the way they did.
Adjust when needed:
After several violations or lack of productivity, adjust norms focusing on improving collaboration.
Re-evaluate Norms when new members join the team to ensure a common understanding.
Solution Tree Resources:
Solution Tree Resources:
Team Roles
Team Roles
All team members are responsible for the success of the collaborative team. Team members work collaboratively to achieve their goals, but each individual team member has an important role in the team. A role helps to describe how each team member can contribute.
Establishing Team Roles
Establishing Team Roles
Identify roles that are important to your team:
Reflect on goals and purpose of team and connect to roles that would help the team work collaboratively.
Describe the Roles and identify qualities/skills needed:
Record on a document the expectations and tasks of each role.
Identify any skills needed to successfully carry out the role.
Assign Roles:
Determine a role for EVERYONE!
Decide if roles will be rotated or year-long.
Determine roles based on skill strengths of each team member.
Agendas
Agendas
An agenda is the means through which the work of a collaborative team is clearly defined. The true purpose of having an agenda is to serve the needs of the team. It is simply a product that defines the purpose and goals, documents the tasks being completed and provides a place of reference for all members of the PLC.
"Are we collaborating? is not nearly as important as What are we collaborating about?; Teams must demonstrate the discipline to focus on the issues that actually lead to gains in student achievement.” - Richard Dufour
Agendas MUST include the following:
Klein ISD - Sample Collaborative Team Agenda
Example Agenda adapted from Klein Intermediate, Fox Elementary, Klein Collins and Solution Tree.
This agenda includes all components suggested from research, and identified in examples within the district. This can be customized to meet the needs of the team, however removing too much could lead to less efficient meetings.
Example of a modification: Team Norms section could be removed if Team Norms and Procedures are posted in the collaborative team room or on a table tent where everyone is meeting.
Additional Agenda Example - with Tabs and Smart Chip Timers
Implementing Agendas
Implementing Agendas
Who creates the agenda?
Created or managed by someone with a designated role on the team
Can rotate this role throughout the year
How will it be formatted and where can it be found?
Agenda can be a running document for each quarter, semester, etc.
Shared and accessible by all members of the PLC/Campus and linked into a PLC campus hub or other campus documents
What are the expectations for sharing/reviewing prior to the meeting?
Determine how far in advanced the agenda is shared to prepare
Agenda may include tasks to be completed ahead of time
What are the expectations for adding items to the agenda?
After agenda is shared, provide an opportunity for team to add items.
Items could be added prior to the meeting or "on the fly"
Ensure all expectations are agreed upon by the team!
PLC Pacing Guide
PLC Pacing Guide
This PLC Pacing guide is to help illustrate the fluidity of a PLC Cycle and show how all the components of backward design planning, assessment data analysis and instructional learning can fit within the Collaborative Team time.
*This is intended for teams that collaborate and plan at least 90 minutes a week. Adjustments can be made for those that meet more often, less often or based on length of unit.
Pre-Work for Effective Collaboration Time
Pre-Work for Effective Collaboration Time
The use of pre-work is needed in order to maximize collaborative time by ensuring every team member feels prepared and informed before each meeting. This is often associated with agendas, but can be apart of other structures and processes such as planning or preparing for data conversations.
Examples of Pre-Work:
Examples of Pre-Work:
Reviewing the agenda and adding any "on the fly" components to discuss as needed.
Gathering any necessary materials needed for the meeting.
Reviewing curriculum documents that will be utilized during an instructional planning discussion.
Preparing a mini-lesson that will be modeled for your team.
Reviewing data prior to engaging in a team data conversation.
SMART Goals
SMART Goals
An SMART Goal helps educators set clear and structured goals to measure the success of a collaborative team. SMART Goals state a desired future achievement and define what the "future state" looks like.
"Abundant research and school evidence suggest that setting [common] goals may be the most significant act in
the entire school improvement process, greatly increasing the odds of success.” - Mike Schmoker
Examples & Non Examples
Examples & Non Examples
Examples
Example of a District SMART Goal: By 2018, 15% of students (4% in 2016, an additional 5% in 2017, and an additional 6% in 2018) who are not meeting/exceeding standards in Grades 3-8 will now meet or exceed performance on State testing.
Example of a Collaborative Team SMART Goal: This year, at least 90 percent of our students will meet or exceed the target of 3 on each strand of our summative writing prompt in May.
Example of a PLC Process SMART Goal: By the end of the 1st quarter, each member of the 6th grade science team will model at least 2 instructional strategies focused on writing or discourse and implement one new strategy in the classroom, as evidenced by agenda minutes and updated lesson plans.
NON-Examples
Students will improve their reading comprehension.
Third grade studetns will improve their number sense skills as measured by the third grade math common assessment.
Page updated
Report abuse