Category: Stress

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” –Henry Ford

“The most valuable resource that all educators have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives.” Robert John Meehan

“Collaborating with other educators is like wearing sandals on a stony beach, it is too painful to imagine proceeding without them.” Robert John Meehan

Why is teamwork important in the classroom? Why is teamwork important in the school environment? Teamwork has been defined as a process among partners who share mutual goals and work together to achieve those goals.

Considering this definition teamwork in the classroom is important because the partners (students and teachers) share the mutual goals of each student being successful in a class project, assignment, or activity. They all work together to ensure everyone achieves success.

Considering this definition teamwork among the staff (teachers, paraeducators, administrators, and parents) work together for the mutual goal of each student achieving success and their maximum growth.

The school environment is changing for everyone, students, teachers, parents, and administrators. The classroom setting has changed from the traditional brick and mortar environment to virtual or a combination of both. The schools are changing for teachers and paraeducators also – things are new and present challenges that we have never had to overcome before. These changes present challenges for students, teachers, paraeducators, parents, and administrators.

Teamwork is needed more than ever before. We still have the same goals – student success and achievement, preparing our students for the future as adults. Yet, we must make sure that we are addressing the needs of the whole child as well as the teachers, and in a virtual or combination setting that becomes increasingly more challenging every day. Teamwork – collaboration – making connections – conversations – cooperation . . . all of these are needed to meet the challenges presented in today’s educational setting.

Neither teamwork in the classroom or teamwork among teachers, happens by accident. It requires effort and commitment from all parties involved, as well as a willingness to accept and work through the challenges of working together to meet your mutual goals.

The challenges faced through teamwork depend on the team members ability to appreciate the diversity within the team and understand that each unique person brings their own special qualities to the table. This is true for the teams within the classroom among students and the teams created among teachers and staff to help each student. Teamwork also depends on positive attitudes from the members. Teamwork requires team members to work together and plan together to meet the goals. Once teams are in place and work well with each other, the job to reach the mutual goals becomes less stressful and more achievable.

Again, teachers are the role models. A lot of responsibility rests on your shoulders for setting the example of effectively working as a team with our colleagues. Our students are watching, they are always watching. You cannot expect your students to work together in any subject or on any project, if they do not see their teacher effectively working with her colleagues as a team.

Set the example of good communication. Communication is key to effective teamwork. Communicate with your colleagues and parents as an example of what you expect to see with your students. Communication is necessary for any team to be successful!

Our students need to understand that being able to work together as a team is fundamental to being able to work together on any job as an adult. Teamwork in the classroom introduces a variety of skills that will be valuable for students as adults in the workforce. Students working together as a team with their classmates helps them appreciate each other’s differences and unique qualities.

Teachers who work together as a team with paraeducators, parents, and administrators benefit as well. Their students benefit as well. Each team member brings something unique to the team and each strength can only help each student achieve success.

The benefits for students working together as a team are vital for student success in school and in life:

• Builds self-confidence
• Reduces bullying
• Teaches essential social skills
• Sets students up for future success
• Increased student effort
• Higher student responsibility and student ownership for learning

The benefits for teachers working together as a team are also vital for student success in school and later in life:

• Better, more effective instruction
• Expanded teacher toolkits
• Lesson consistency
• More inclusive methods and strategies
• Increased student effort
• Higher teacher responsibility and ownership for her students’ success and achievement

Teamwork benefits all!

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” – Amy Poehler