What it means:
Build team spirit and help your team collaborate productively to achieve your common goal of teaching and learning excellence.
More Detail
Building team cohesion includes planning, communicating, executing, and improving the following actions:
- Build relationships
- Collaborate
- Address challenges
- Celebrate successes
Tools—For Multi-Classroom Leaders & Other Instructional Teacher-Leaders
These tools can help multi-classroom leaders and other instructional teacher-leaders build cohesion with their teams:
- Multi-Classroom Leader Action Planner (Word)—to see each season in its own document, click on the following links: Summer; Fall; Winter; Spring
- Priority Dashboard (Excel)
Videos—For Multi-Classroom Leaders & Other Instructional Teacher-Leaders
Watch these short videos on the elements of building team cohesion, organized by action:
Build relationships
Follow Through on Promises to Build Team TrustExtensive communication and follow-through help MCL Hadley Moore build a strong team. | Build Trust with Simple Supports, Bite-Sized FeedbackTo build a strong team, provide strong support as the leader, MCL Lauren Woodworth says. | Get to Know One Another to Build Trust and Speak OpenlyDo simple things from the start to build relationships and show an expectation for openness from a teaching team, MCL Stacie Bunn says. |
Collaborate
Set Norms and Understand Individual StylesMCL Bri Waddell discusses how she adapts to her teaching team members’ styles for collaborating, and how the team sets norms for collaboration. | Focus Collaboration Time by Planning LessonsWhen MCLs plan lessons for the team, teachers can focus on practicing and delivering lessons, MCL Okema Owens Simpson says. | Create Lesson Plans to Improve Team’s TeachingCreate team’s lesson plans, then set routines for reviewing and practicing delivery of instruction, MCL Molly Whelan says. |
Address challenges
Guide Team to Address Internal ChallengesAs a teaching team leader, MCL Kristin Cubbage has learned she needs to let the team resolve conflicts on their own. | Build Teacher Trust Through Frequent ContactCoaching teachers requires frequent, in-person contact to form a relationship that enables successful leadership, MCL Frank Zaremba says. | Build Relationships to Make Difficult Conversations EasierBuilding trust and positive relationships with team teachers can make them more receptive when the time comes for a difficult conversation, MCL Sydney Mboob says. |
Celebrate successes
Listen, Share, and CelebrateMCL Molly Whelan offers a few simple ways to celebrate successes of team members and build confidence. | Build Trust For Follow-Through SuccessBuild trust with team teachers so they follow through on your feedback, MCL Bobby Miles says. |
Videos—For Principals & Multi-School Leaders
Watch these short videos on the elements of building team cohesion, organized by action:
Build relationships
Collaborate with Leadership TeamValue the knowledge of those on the instructional leadership team in making decisions, Principal Jigna Patel says. |
Collaborate
Be Transparent with TeachersPrincipal Janet Moss uses a quarterly “state of the school” address to keep her staff informed |
Address challenges
Address Challenges DirectlyEven when it feels uncomfortable or takes time to come to a resolution, address challenges on a leadership team directly and collaboratively, Principal Phillip Steffes says. | Personalize Approach to Teachers’ ChallengesPrincipal Michelle McVicker customizes the support she gives to multi-classroom leaders (MCLs), as they should customize for their teams. |
Discussion Questions
Use these discussion questions to help guide your instructional team through the elements of building team cohesion:
- Does your team have clear norms for how people collaborate to achieve your goals? If not, what needs to change?
- Does your team understand how people’s styles may work in team meetings and how to use that to make great decisions, rather than slow or bad decisions? If not, what needs to change?
- Does your team celebrate successes? If not, what needs to change?
- Does your team routinely adjust actions to improve? If not, what needs to change?
- Make a brief action plan with specific goals, roles, and time by which you will make specific changes!
- Did your changes produce better learning results? If so, keep them. If not, think again about what other changes to make!
Study Guides
See these printable study guides with discussion questions and real examples from educators:
- For Multi-Classroom Leaders—Key Element of Leadership Excellence: Build Team Cohesion (PDF)
- For Principals—Key Element of Leadership Excellence: Build Team Cohesion (PDF)
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