Module 1 Strand B1
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Module 1 Strand B1
Teams
Teams and Risk Taking
Teams
The overwhelming majority of tasks you do at work involve at least one other person.
It follows then that we need to understand the importance of developing the skills
necessary to co-operate effectively in a team environment.
Teachers are expected to be effective in instruction as well as in their interaction with
many other adults in diverse roles and often from diverse backgrounds.
Today each special educator must operate as part of a team in many aspects of his/her role
including:
screening
assessment
individual program planning
developing placement options
monitoring success
So what is a team?
"A team is a group organized to work together to accomplish a set of objectives that
cannot be achieved effectively individually".
Exercise #5-Characteristics of a Well Functioning Team
As I was surfing the net I came across this survey. The first part of it identified the characteristics of a well functioning team, while the second part consists of a survey. Click on this Team Climate Survey and wherever you see the word "board" insert the words "school team". Answer the questions as it relates to your school team and once you have completed the survey, reflect on ways your school team operates. Suggest 3 successes the team is having and then consider 3 ways in which your school team might improve.
Teams can generate more successful and more creative solutions.
Teams build higher motivation and responsibility for
implementation.
High Performance Team Essentials provides a good overview of the characteristics and behaviours which must be present if a high performance team is to be achieved.
Also refer to the following sites:
Exercise #6 - Reflection - Teams
Give at least three examples of teams
you think are effective. These could be sports teams, work teams or any kind of team you
know of. Why do you think these teams are effective? What are the characteristics of each
team?
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Teams and Risk Taking
Working in teams requires team members to take a
risk. Each time a team member voices a new idea to the group, he or she takes a risk, not
knowing what the reaction of the group will be.
No risk taking will take place unless you have a trust relationship.
School teams should be functioning as high performance teams when trust is established and
a flow of ideas exists. This provides for a great opportunity to find solutions to best
assist those students who are worrisome to their teacher and their parents.
Why Do Geese Fly in Formation?
As each goose flaps it's wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a "V: formation the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone. We can learn a valuable lesson about teamwork from the geese.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the birds immediately in front.
When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.
The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Exercise #7 - Web Search - Seven Habits of Highly Effective IEP Teams
After reading this article , sit back and reflect on the way in which IEP's are developed in your school. How do you see that this information might make a difference to the functioning of your school team or to those who are responsible for developing the IEP? Share some examples where you demonstrated 'risk taking' in this type of forum. (team meeting, IPRC meeting, or parent meeting).
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