How do you get staff members to work in cooperative groups?
How do you get staff members to work in groups outside of their grade?
How do you get staff members to try new things?
How do you get staff members to work outside of their comfort zones?
How do you get staff members to work outside of their area of specialization?
Most of all, how do you help your staff have fun?
I think you challenge them!
I think you find a way(s) to engage them!
I don’t have the answers… but what I do have gives me better questions.
This is the end of my first year as a building principal. I have worked on large campuses with many administrators and many teachers. This is my first rodeo with a small campus and no other administrators. I have struggled to find ways to engage my staff in pursuit of doing the above.
Our school district calendar changed this year due to a new state law saying all schools must start the same week. Our fall semester in past years had ended before the Christmas break. Now it ends in January. I decided to have somewhat of a modified scavenger hunt. I divided the teachers into groups of three based on a mug they chose at our last faculty meeting. No mug on each team was alike.
I was disappointed by a couple of my staff. They really didn’t want to participate. They said all the right things. Family comes first. Students come second. I get that. I respect that. But, there is nothing wrong with having a little fun and getting to know those you work with better. Nothing wrong witha little competition. I digress.
Once the teams were divided I gave them a task. Then added more tasks as we went along… here they are:
Subject: Let the Games Begin - Competition #1
We all need more margin in our lives… if that doesn’t make sense I can explain later…
We are having a team competition… you have been placed on one of thirteen teams. You are competing for the fabulous award at the end… (we are working out the details… but it is worth playing for).
Each team will earn points (each competition is will have a point value assigned to it).
Competition #1
Do the impossible… the note card that was in your mug… cut a hole in it that you can crawl through… the card must not be taped in any way. This is worth 100 points… style points can be added!
Subject: Let the Games Continue - Competition #2
I am impressed by the group for your competitive play… very impressed…
If you have not completed competition #1… fear not… it is never too late… but here is #2
A – design a team logo (I am using the term logo loosely) that includes a piece of each members name (one letter is enough)
B – a 1953 penny
Subject: Let the Games Continue - Competition #3
Wow… it just keeps getting better…
It is still not too late for competition #1 or #2… here is #3
1 - Make a podcast of your group singing all verses of a holiday tune… you pick the tune…
2 - save the podcast on the 107teach folder in the folder labeled “#1 Podcast Folder for Holiday Competition”
3 - e-mail me when you have posted it so I can take it out… I don’t want any other team to use your ideas… J
Subject: Let the Games Begin - Competition #4
Pick ‘em… you can choose to do three (minimum) out of the five… choose wisely…
1 – Picture of all group members with Santa… (together with the same Santa)
2 – Create a wiki for your class… (each group member would have to do it)
3 – A picture book of your team (minimum 25 photos – digital are best)
4 – Recreation of the Beatles “Abbey Road” album cover. (Submitted digitally – if you do not know what this is you really need to listen to some good music)
5 – Picture of your team (whole group or individual members) with a firefighter in full bunker gear. (All must pose with a firefighter – you just do not have to be at the same place at the same time.
I have three boys. Two of them in school. I love the days they come home from school so excited about something they learned that they do it at home. The keep working on it. Why? That should be your question? That should be what you look for in every lesson. Why do they want to continue working on it? How do I design lessons that make that happen?
You know… only one team can win the award… but… I think everyone who is participating is a winner.
