Just a raw idea- Came across this article discussing the importance of a 15 min. meeting with your team every day. It got me thinking how important a quick 10-15 min. morning meeting is to my class and culture. Wondering….would a quick 10 min. Mtg. with team leaders or staff every day empower teams, build a positive culture and improve communication? I'm also thinking of Todd Whitaker’s book, The 10 Minute Inservice Lesson. These short lessons improve teaching and student learning.
To physically get Ts in a short meeting might be tough- (another mtg.) but what if the principal did it online through an LMS? GHO? Skype? I'm a little biased, so I'm thinking Edmodo. He/she could sometimes conduct a live session and sometimes with a recording (flipped). What if there was an inspirational thought, a demonstration of a best practice, inspiring article, or another resource every day? Every other day? Would taking bite-sized pieces of information be better? Would that help educators to connect and to start forming a PLN? Would it open a door to get teachers reflecting, and interacting with others online? Would they feel freer to ask questions? Would it be a step to get them connected with other educators outside of the building (Twitter)?
I just barely read the article, and the ideas are spinning in my head. I don't know if "one more meeting would be good or bad". I can see the potential. I can see a morning meeting between a principal and staff or team leaders being productive and inspiring. I can see it potentially building in more collaboration. I can see the morning meeting being a way to keep everyone focused on a school mission and the shared vision. I can see it helping teachers to become more effective in their instruction.
Had to write my thoughts down- processing.
Sandee
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, the 15 min meeting should be used to build and strengthen relationships among staff. In our class circles, we use these meetings to check-in. Its an opportunity to let the community know how you are feeling, what support you might need, or just share a good thing that happened or is going on. Imagine a staff that came together, voluntarily, to just check in every morning. Being able to share a short joy that is happening in your class, or asking for support and learning to listen to each other without judgement. I think as teachers, staff and admin, we need to give ourselves permission to build the collegial relationships that are vital for a healthy, positive school community. This September, I plan to pilot some of these staff circles, albeit on a once a week basis. As always great ideas for reflection! Thanks
Jim Reilly
Thanks Jim for sharing your thoughts. They align perfectly with the ideas that have been swirling around in my head. I'm thinking as the meeting being more of a "devotional" for lack of a better word and a way to build community- an inspirational spark chat. The problem that I'm having with doing this every day is that teachers are so busy especially in the morning. I'm still processing ideas. I think once a week is a great place to start and I look forward to hearing how this idea works. Thanks again for your thoughts and continued support.
ReplyDeleteSandee, I will certainly share my experiences, although I have done it with classes, I am a tad nervous about doing with staff. I am not certain about the response, but I plan to keep these circles, very proactive, positive and fun! I anticipate a "ton of learning", and my goal is that the staff embrace the circle and make it their own to suit their needs. Like you, still processing, thoughts swirling, and anticipating the wonderful vulnerability of stepping outside of my comfort zone. Jim
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I try to do this as a staff on a weekly basis, but I strongly encourage grade level teams to do this on a daily basis. I also love daily team meetings in the classroom!
ReplyDeleteJon