In response to the positive and negative aspects of teams, I offer my 2
cents.
At our school we are in the second year of some cross functional teams
focusing on a portion of the student populations. Our team has 2 straight
content teachers, one learning disabilities specialist, 1 speech/language
therapist and 2 dorm parents. Nursing and administrative staff float
through depending upon our agenda of students. Each week we try to review
and plan programing for 6 or 7 students per team. There are 3 teams
serving the on campus populations of about 54 students and another team
serving the off campus post secondary students. Prior to instituting a
team review structure our regular staff meetings would always consider the
" any kid concerns ?" question. At that time we would focus on the 5 or so
problematic kids -- this was pretty consistent from week to week: we only
considered the problematic kids on a regular basis. Other kid needs were
addressed through their advisors or only infrequently by the whole staff.
Our collective intelligences were dissipated prior to the 96/97 school
year.
Teaming has helped us review and plan programming for ALL our students on
a regular basis; we are more in tune with the disabilities and abilities
of each student; more responsive to their needs and have a greater degree
of trust, intimacy and positive dynamics among team members than exist
when the staff meets at large. At the whole staff meetings "group think"
prevails. This is non existent within teams, at least in ours.
Organizationally we have our problems. But through teams we are able to
better meet the needs of the students (the mission) , teach each other and
offer the support that is needed to acccomplish our goals. The teams
meetings (as staff and with our team of students) are refreshing and
provide the focus and direction to continue working with students in
despirate need of services. I know it is an asset to our program and to
the lives of our students and parents.
prkosuth@mychoice.net
OPINIONS ARE MY OWN
Brehm Preparatory School
Carbondale IL
--"prkosuth" <prkosuth@mychoice.net>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>