Teacher Action Teams
Topic: Teacher Support; School Culture/Efficiency
Scranton Elementary has found a way to accomplish more for their students while giving choice and easing the workload for teachers at the Florence 3 Elementary school. This was done by setting up Teacher Action Teams.
Overview
As a Covey, “Leader in Me” school, Teacher Action Teams are a part of the strategic planning process. (Note: You do not have to participate in this program to reap the benefits of using Teacher Action Teams). Administration at the school was finding their time limited in classrooms and supporting teachers due to the daily duties and workload required to deliver services and support for their students throughout the year.
Then the brilliant idea came to “share the love and the genius” by surveying teachers for their interest areas, skill sets and comfort areas of involvement and using the data to organize Teacher Action Teams to plan strategies for achieving their shared school goals for the year. The goal: Empower teachers, build community, and help their school run more efficiently as they work to achieve their shared goals for the year (both school and district goals).
The Result
Engaged teachers who are focused, committed, and successful at building confidence and leadership in themselves and one another while building community, increasing morale, and contributing to growing success in their students and district.
Sustained Engagement
One of the main purposes of Teacher Action Teams is to develop and deliver cohesive processes and successful outcomes while not overburdening anyone yet including everyone. These teams can be easily replicated in other grade level schools and although sometimes there may be occasional changes in assignments, Scranton Elementary aims to keep the currently formed teams in place. Providing focus and support and then letting the teachers run with their work has brought success to all stakeholders.
The ”Secret Sauce”
• Know your people
• Trust your people to do the work
• Know and align your goals and priorities
• Set the parameters, offer support, and then get out of the way
• Allow faculty and staff to express their genius and give them the freedom to execute their plans to achieve the goal(s).
• Prepare for success – Work out the kinks and model the outcome you want to achieve. At Scranton Elementary, Shared Leadership (Administration and school-wide team leaders) takes on a new initiative the first year and then turns it over to the appropriate action team
• Expand to student action teams where and when appropriate
Have Questions?
Contact Jami Kirby, Principal of Scranton Elementary School (Florence 3)
Email: jkirby@fsd3.org
Going Deeper
Action Team Google Slides
the toolkit
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