Building the ICT PLC team spirit

In this week’s reflection, I will speak briefly on the type of team spirit I would like to build with my ICT PLC team. I will first share my thoughts on the importance of informal communication with teachers and also the need for holding formal interactions so that each member may feel valued and more importantly, feeling a sense of belonging to the PLC team. Finally, I will end my reflection with my intended actions which I hope will enable us to work towards building and maintaining the sense of purpose of the PLC team.

The need for Informal chats

It has been noticed that more than often teachers talk about their teaching practice and their students in particular, whenever they meet their colleagues for breaks and during lunches. In addition, it is quite revealing that the topics teachers touch on are frequently related to some problematic classroom situation, some negative attitudes or some difficulties students have in their learning process. Rarely do teachers speak about their students’ achievements in a spontaneous way. We often hear teachers say:” They don’t feel like studying and therefore they are getting low marks.” “They never get it no matter how many times I revised through!” “Nothing seems to interest them.” “They don’t care about their homework.”, etc.

Although we may agree that teachers’ complaints have become commonplace, I am inclined to think that when teachers talk to colleagues about their students’ problems, difficulties or attitudes, they are expressing what they are really worried about or dissatisfied at. Such conversations become genuine forum of expressions for them. Hence, it is important to have such informal interactions so that I may be aware of their views. I must then attend to such expressed struggles and disappointments in a reflective and professional way. Only with awareness, steps can then be made towards helping them worked towards change and improvement.

The need for Formal interactions

I feel that formally structured interactions such as monthly meetings will encourage everyone’s participation. Such formal meetings will highlight the standard expected of the team. It will also provide the professional environment for dealing with clarification and disagreement. Empowering teachers in such settings will prompt them to make their own decisions and so conscientious teachers are more likely to actively look for solutions to problems, sharing on new ideas on technology use, technology implementation, something they have read, etc. Moreover, I feel that our teachers are likely to be empathetic and collaborate with each other for solutions or encourage their peers to look for their solutions. However, I do not think that such formal meetings should be too long. Teachers already need to sustain the course of full teaching schedule. I believe that teachers will appreciate that such meetings start and finish on time.

My Intended Actions

I believe in communicating with my team members both informally, during lunches, through workshops as well as formal settings, through scheduled monthly meetings. Informally, I intend to join teachers for workshops and courses and to arrange social gathering of the team inside or outside school at least once per year. During formal meetings, I need to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to say something. More importantly and this is something I need to work upon, to provide opportunity for the team member to express their opinions and contribute to decisions.

Coaching teachers by asking open questions to help them decide for themselves rather than telling them what to do is also another skill which I am still attempting since my facilitators course (Not as easy as initially thought!). Listening more than I speak is something I am committed to do this year.

Finally, I need to be consistent when deciding on matters – I intend to use the core mission of the school and department to make decisions.