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Optimize Adult Learning Conditions on Teams

Writer's picture: Elisa MacDonaldElisa MacDonald

Updated: Aug 15, 2024

This is blog no.1 in a special August series to help you launch teacher and leadership teams this school year. This references Primary Leadership Intention no.1 from the bestseller, Intentional Moves (pp.69-90)



Two teacher leaders learning how to lead teams from the book, Intentional Moves


“Often our meeting time was reduced because of unplanned  announcements by administrators. By the time we'd get our team meeting started, teachers just wanted to talk about the announcement, and there was never enough time to get through our agenda.” - Teacher Leader


You are not facilitating meetings.


You are leading learning for continuous improvement.

 

Space, time, materials, and accommodations matter to learners - no matter their age.

 


The moves in Primary Intention #1 (Intentional Moves, pp.69-90) help you optimize collaborative conditions so that all adults on your team have access to learning.

 

But there's one move, above all else, that's a non-negotiable for any team:

 

Protect meeting time.

(Move 1.1, p.72) 

 

This is the most basic of moves, but you would not believe how many times teacher team meetings get interrupted or cancelled. 

 

Whether it's an unplanned faculty meeting, or a wild animal loose on campus (yep, that really happened!), stealing time from team meetings sends the message that your team's work is less of a priority than other things. 

 

And even if the reason is legit, team momentum and morale end up taking the hit.

 

"But what can I really do? I'm not the principal.

Isn't this beyond my locus of control?” 

 

I hear you, because I've thought this, too.

 

You and your colleagues work together to tackle some of the most challenging student-centered problems.

 

Your collaboration is essential.

 

There are things you can do 

to protect your team's collaboration time.



STL Recommendations


Beyond what is suggested in the book, Intentional Moves, in Move 1.1 (p.72) 

consider the following:

 

  • Include “floating minutes”. It may seem counterintuitive, but to gain quality collaboration time, plan for a shorter meeting. For example, if teacher teams meet every week for 50 minutes, design an agenda for 40 minutes and allocate 10 “floating minutes” where nothing is planned. This allows school leaders to take a little time when the need arises, allowing teams to “make-up” time in subsequent meetings. And if there is no interruption, the team has the flexibility to extend time on an agenda item, if needed.

 

  • Schedule your interruptions. Well, you can't plan when the fox will get loose on school grounds, but you can set a norm with your administrators that, whenever possible, they make unexpected announcements or meetings toward the end of your teacher team meeting, rather than at the beginning. This way you can start with everyone focused and energized, and make the most of the time you have.

 

  • Think outside the timed box. Although your team meeting might be scheduled for 50 minutes, collaborating with your colleagues does not need to be limited to this window. Take advantage of free online tools for offline collaboration, many of which teachers use with students. I've seen teacher leaders use Padlet, for instance, to host an offline text-based discussion with a modified 4 A's protocol where teachers input quotes and comments into 4 columns: What do you (1) Agree, (2) Argue, (3) Assume or (4) Aspire to that the author of this text says?

 

  • Raise awareness. If interruptions are frequent, it's a sign of a bigger problem. Join with other team leaders to bring the problem to the attention of school leaders and collectively address the root cause of why it's happening and what to do. (Sometimes principals can get so caught up in the urgency of the moment, that they don't notice the pattern and appreciate a solutions-based conversation.)


Next in the blog series:

Establish expectations, roles and responsibilities 

- How do we set norms in ways that respect cultural differences?


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