Effective Teamwork ReflectionEffective Teamwork Reflection

““Before”-Individual ReflectionBefore”-Individual Reflection

Individually and silently respond to the prompts below on the provided paper:

1. What shared ways of working together made this group particularly effective?

2. What did your content peer partners/thinking partners do to support your learning?

3. What are the commonalities in your work?

4. What can you infer about the common knowledge and skill base that you have drawn from your triad?

The Purpose of Peer Partnering The Purpose of Peer Partnering with your Thinking Partnerwith your Thinking Partner

To build a community of teachers who continuously engage in the study of their craft

To develop the shared language and set of common understandings necessary for the collegial study of new knowledge and skills

To provide a structure for the follow up to training that is essential for acquiring new teaching skills and strategies

Teachers Coaching TeachersBeverly Showers

(This article originally appeared in Educational Leadership, April, 1985)

AgendaAgenda

““Before”-Individual ReflectionBefore”-Individual Reflection ““During”-Affinity MappingDuring”-Affinity Mapping ““During”-Gallery WalkDuring”-Gallery Walk ““Formative Assessment”-Fist to FiveFormative Assessment”-Fist to Five ““After-Formative Assessment” 3-2-1After-Formative Assessment” 3-2-1

KeysKeysto Effective Team Functioningto Effective Team Functioning ““Triads/Duos” believe strongly in one another’sTriads/Duos” believe strongly in one another’s

capacity to develop practical solutions to teaching capacity to develop practical solutions to teaching and learning problems.and learning problems.

Faculty and staff believe that regardless of Faculty and staff believe that regardless of school’s social or economic circumstances, school’s social or economic circumstances, improvement can and will occurimprovement can and will occur..

““Triads/Duos” arrive at each meeting with a sense Triads/Duos” arrive at each meeting with a sense that that informed trial and error will lead to better informed trial and error will lead to better teachingteaching and thus to high levels of learning. and thus to high levels of learning.

Schmoker, M. Schmoker, M. ResultsResults, p. 20., p. 20.

““During”-Peer Partnering with your During”-Peer Partnering with your Thinking Partners: Reflecting on the Thinking Partners: Reflecting on the

Observation and Affinity MappingObservation and Affinity Mapping

What?What? Generating evidence of learning from your Generating evidence of learning from your thinking partners.thinking partners.

Why?Why? To surface our collective thinking about To surface our collective thinking about learning from your thinking partners.learning from your thinking partners.

HowHow Individually reflect, record individual ideas on Individually reflect, record individual ideas on sticky notes, one per sticky note, (first for sticky notes, one per sticky note, (first for a a PraisePraise, and then for a , and then for a PolishPolish,) and use of ,) and use of affinity mapping to categorize group affinity mapping to categorize group members’ ideas. members’ ideas.

Preparing for Preparing for Affinity MappingAffinity Mapping

I.I. Working individually and silently Working individually and silently,, record each record each discrete piece of evidence related to a discrete piece of evidence related to a PraisePraise (be (be specific)specific) on a on a yellowyellow sticky note— sticky note— only one piece only one piece of evidence per sticky note.of evidence per sticky note.

II. Now, move to the generation of evidence regarding II. Now, move to the generation of evidence regarding a a Polish Polish (preferably formed as a question). (preferably formed as a question). Record each of these behaviors on a Record each of these behaviors on a pinkpink sticky sticky note.note.

****Generate as many ideas as you can within three minutes. Generate as many ideas as you can within three minutes. Please feel free to use your notes from the Praise-Please feel free to use your notes from the Praise-Question-Polish tool and/or any reflection of the post Question-Polish tool and/or any reflection of the post conference.conference.

Affinity MappingAffinity MappingSilently,Silently, affix your post-its to your team’s affix your post-its to your team’s

chart paper that is marked “chart paper that is marked “PraisePraise.”.”Work with others at your table to Work with others at your table to create a create a

graphic organizergraphic organizer that depicts your that depicts your collective vision of collective vision of The Praises for our The Praises for our PLCPLC. Do this by creating categories of like . Do this by creating categories of like ideas.ideas.

When directed, name your categories.When directed, name your categories.

Affinity Mapping, cont’d.Affinity Mapping, cont’d.Silently,Silently, affix your post-its to your team’s affix your post-its to your team’s

chart paper that is labeled “chart paper that is labeled “PolishPolish.”.”Work with others at your table to Work with others at your table to create create

a graphic organizera graphic organizer that depicts your that depicts your collective vision of collective vision of The Polishes for The Polishes for our PLCour PLC. Do this by creating categories . Do this by creating categories of like ideas.of like ideas.

When directed, name your categories.When directed, name your categories.

“ “During”-Gallery WalkDuring”-Gallery Walk 1. Hang your team’s chart papers on

the wall. Spread these out around this area of the media center so that no two sets of charts are to close together.

2. Now, travel with your team (moving to the right when looking at your group’s chart paper) to view the other groups compiled evidence. Stopping for 2-3 minutes. Then continue until your team has moved all the way through the Gallery Walk.

Benefits of Effective Benefits of Effective TeamworkTeamwork

Substantial gains in student achievementSubstantial gains in student achievementHigher-quality solutions to problemsHigher-quality solutions to problems Increased confidence among allIncreased confidence among allTeacher’s ability to support one anotherTeacher’s ability to support one anotherAbility to examine and test new ideas, methods, & Ability to examine and test new ideas, methods, &

materialsmaterialsMore systematic assistance to beginning teachersMore systematic assistance to beginning teachersExpanded pool of ideas, materials, and methodsExpanded pool of ideas, materials, and methods

Schmoker, Schmoker, ResultsResults, p. 12., p. 12.

““Formative Assessment”-Formative Assessment”-Fist to Fist to FiveFive, with “Fist” being , with “Fist” being very easyvery easy

and and “5”“5” being being very difficult.very difficult.

• Teachers believe in one another.Teachers believe in one another.• Teachers believe that all students, Teachers believe that all students,

regardless of socioeconomic status or regardless of socioeconomic status or ethnicity, can achieve at high levels.ethnicity, can achieve at high levels.

• Teachers are willing to experiment with Teachers are willing to experiment with new strategies and techniques.new strategies and techniques.

““After-Formative After-Formative Assessment” 3-2-1Assessment” 3-2-1

Reflect on Peer Partnering with your Reflect on Peer Partnering with your Thinking Partners:Thinking Partners:• 3 Benefits3 Benefits• 2 Take Aways 2 Take Aways • 1 Concern or Need1 Concern or Need

**Give me your 3-2-1 on the way out. Thank you and be safe in your travels!