Processes That Support Effective Teams

Content

·  Overview

·  Introduction

·  Processes that Support Effective Teams

-  Developing a Team Agreement

-  Identifying how we will Work Together

-  Values Discussion and Exercise

-  Beliefs Discussion and Exercise around Principles of Te Whāriki

-  Developing a Shared Philosophy

·  Resources that support creating a collaborative team culture

·  Additional Resources

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Introduction

The principles of Te Whāriki inform our approaches and ways of working with children; but they also provide a sound structure for our approaches and ways of working as a team.

As you work through this document keep the principles in mind:

-  Whakamana/Empowerment: the team is empowered to be the best teachers they can be for all children and families

-  Kotahitanga/ Holisitic development: the combined strengths, experiences and values contribute to the richness, diversity and effectiveness of the kindergarten environment

-  Whānau Tangata/Family and Community: the wider world of the family amd community is an integral part of the early childhoodcurriculum

-  Ngā hononga/Relationships with people, places and things: approaches and ways of operating promote responsive, respectful and reciprocal relationships with people, places and things

Creating a Collaborative Team Culture Document is designed to help teams work alongside each other in a collaborative way. One of the key purposes of this document is to facilitate a process leading to the articulation of a team culture and a shared philosophy. The articulation of a team philosophy that truly reflects your values and beliefs is essential for your core teaching practices as it underpins your practice in all aspects of your work.

Although there is not a defined period of time to work through this process, it is envisaged that it could take number of weeks. This process should be an opportunity for your team to delve in to their beliefs and values, negotiate a core philosophy and identify a way of working collegially and cooperatively within your team.

At the end of this process you will have developed a vision on how your team is going to work together and a team philosophy to guide your teaching practice. An important part of this process is documenting your discussions, decisions and commitments you make as you work through the process. You can link this to your Internal Review process.

Your Senior Teacher is available to help you work through any stage of this process and has a range of additional resources.

Other Whānau Manaaki Kindergarten documents that are relevant to this process include:

·  Induction of New Head Teachers

·  Induction of New Teachers to WMK

·  Induction of New Teacher to a kindergarten

·  Induction and Mentoring Programme for Certificating Teachers

·  WMK Appraisal Process

·  Internal Evaluation/Self Review

Processes that Support Effective Teams

Section 1: Team Agreement - Clarifying Team Routines

Developing clear team routines and processes which are negotiated and articulated within the team supports your team to work effectively together.

Kindergarten teaching is a ‘team’ effort. Team discussion about initial core practices clarifies routines, procedures and limits, and need to be covered very early in the process of working together.

There may be some aspects of our work that are more difficult to negotiate due to diverse opinion and practice. Your team will need to develop a shared understanding and agreement around these.

The review of this agreement should become part of your systematic Internal Evaluations (refer to WMK Internal Evaluation document).

Section 2: Agreements about how we will Work Together

A shared set of ‘ground rules’ provides a good foundation for critical, reflective discussions on a range of topics. This is not a definitive list, rather a starting point for you to discuss ways of interacting that you consider relevant for your teaching team. Record your team agreements so that these can be referred to later.

The review of this agreement should become part of your systematic Internal Evaluations (refer to WMK Internal Evaluation document).

Section 3: Identifying Team Values and Beliefs

This step of the process assists you to identify your values and beliefs – both as an individual teacher and those of your team.

To begin work through the ‘Values’ exercise. This will provide a basis for your team discussion as you seek to identify the values and understandings that you agree on.

The next step is to work through Te Whāriki exercise and identify your beliefs around how the Principles of Te Whāriki guide your teaching practice individually and then discuss and come to agreements as a team.

All of the first three sections will support the team in developing a vision around how you will work together.

Section 4: Developing a Team Philosophy

A suggested process in developing your team philosophy is to:

·  Complete the Values and the Principles of Te Whāriki exercises

·  Identify those values and beliefs you agree on and some key words/phrases that have emerged

·  Negotiate the rest

·  Share these key words/phrases with your whānau and children and invite them to contribute/comment

·  Develop a philosophy statement using the agreed key words and phrases from the team, children and whānau

·  Present this philosophy statement to your whānau and children

The review of your philosophy should become part of your systematic Internal Evaluations (refer to WMK Internal Evaluation document).

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Section 1
Team Agreement
Discussion Topics and Agreements
What / Agreement / Responsibility / Next review date
Start and finish times
What are the expectations?
Team meetings
When will these occur?
What will be included?
How will the agenda be set?
Who will be responsible for chairing the meeting?
Who will be responsible for doing the minutes?
How will issues be raised?
How do people like reminders?
Who will check that jobs are completed?
What are the expectations /processes around people asking for help if they need it?
What happens if a teacher is absent?
Use of Non-Contact time
What tasks, apart from learning stories, may be required to be completed during this time?
Who will do what and when?
How can this be managed equitably? e.g. expectations for full time /part time positions
Who does the kgtn shopping and when?
Personal use of telephone and Computer
Use of personal cell phones – what are the expectations?
Work computers for personal use?
Use of facebook/ social media?
(All of the above must be discussed alongside WMK ICT and Cyber safety policy and kindergarten procedures)
Social Competence.
(To discuss alongside teams Social competence procedure )
What everyday teaching strategies will the team use to ensure consistency?
What is acceptable and not acceptable? e.g. outside inside toys, areas that children can eat in, water in the sandpit
Who talks to parents, how and about what?
e.g. can teachers raise concerns with parents – does HT need to know before issues are raised.
Group Times
What are the purposes of each of our group times?
What are the expectations?
How many group times?
Who is responsible?
Are children expected to stay on the mat?
How flexible are the teachers with length of time, releasing children?
What guides these decisions?
Celebrations
What are the expectations around birthday celebrations?
Food?
Which/whose birthdays do you celebrate?
How do parents participate?
Other cultural celebrations?
Committee meetings/ Whānau Group meetings etc
What are the expectations around attendance and writing of the report?
What do you do if you don’t have a committee?
What are the expectations around team members attending fundraising events and activities outside work time?
Security
Who gets keys?
Who locks up and what is required. – Alarms set?
Children’s food routines
Healthy food procedure - do you have one?
Is there any food that is not acceptable (for whatever reason)
Date of Agreement:
Signed:
Head teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Date of Planned review: / Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Section 2
How We Work Together
Discussion Topics and Agreements
What / Agreement / Responsibility
Developing trust
How do you act when you trust people?
Behaviours that elicit trust:
·  When I trust someone I …….( discuss behaviours, feelings, thoughts and expectations )
•  “When I want someone to trust me, I ……” (discuss behaviours, feelings, thoughts and expectations)
Building team culture
What opportunities will there be for team building and team social events?
How will you support people to have a positive attitude?
How will you celebrate team / individual achievements
Confidentiality
·  Decisions need to be made about what information needs to be kept “In house”
·  If team or kindergarten issues are raised outside the kindergarten and you are not happy about it how will this be resolved?
·  What is professional behaviour when discussing issue with those outside the team?
·  Times when it is appropriate to share information about the kindergarten or team with the Senior Teacher.
Constructive communication
How will you ensure that everyone communicates in constructive ways?
Some initial General Guidelines
·  No one gets put down
·  We use “I” statements
·  We only judge ourselves
·  No sexist racist or homophobic language
·  Talk time is shared equally
·  We take responsibility for our own feelings.
What happens if this agreement isn’t adhered to?
Giving and receiving feedback
How will you provide it for others?
How will you seek it?
Raising issues
How will these be able to be raised? In what forum?
What opportunities will there be to discuss how team dynamics are working?
Resolving issues or problems in the team
How will this occur?
When?
What happens if the issue is not resolved?
Seeking help from others in the team.
What signals do you give to each other when you need help?
What areas would you like the team to give you feedback on or help with?
Each person needs to take responsibility to ask for help when they need it.
Ensuring everybody has a voice.
What processes do you have for ensuring that everybody contributes to team discussion?
How are all opinions listened to and valued?
What are you going to do if things are not feeling right for you?

These agreements will form the basis of how you will work together as a team and will give you a foundation for regular critical, reflective discussion that contributes to ongoing improvement

Date of Agreement:
Signed:
Head teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Date of Planned review: / Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher

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Section 3

Values and Beliefs Discussion

Everything you do as a professional teacher is affected by your value system. Values impact on how you act and react to experiences and events. There will be differences in values and beliefs. Sometimes these differences create ethical and professional dilemmas. The impact on practice of your personal values may need to be negotiated and agreed to by the whole team.

To be able to articulate your values, you have to be able explain the rationale behind them. It is also important as teachers to respect and acknowledge the values of others.

One of the values our organisation holds is biculturalism, it may be a good place to start.

Personal attributes and values:

·  What qualities do you value most in yourself and in other people?

·  What are your values?

·  To what extent do values form a part of your teaching philosophy?

The next step is to identify your team agreement around values and beliefs that are important to include in your team philosophy. Working through the ‘Values’ exercise will help you clarify your thoughts. It is also important to reach a team agreement about how these values and beliefs will be evident in your practise e.g. if you write “we believe all children have potential”, you need to discuss how this is going to be evident in your day to day practise.

These are not just our teaching values but the values that we hold dear in our lives generally and impact on how we interact in the world...

Values Exercise

1.  Divide the values cards into three groups:

a.  Non-negotiables – these are essential to me

b.  These are important to me

c.  These are the least important to me

2.  Put the bottom two groups away in the Kete

3.  Choose your six most important values

4.  Choose your three most important values

5.  Share with the rest of the team what these three values mean to you – how do they influence the way you live... (different people may see the words used to describe the values in differing ways so important to unpack what they mean for the individual)

6.  Share these 3 values from each teacher with your children and whānau and seek their feedback on the ones that are most important to them

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Aaro-nui
Consideration / Maioha, Matawhāiti
Tact / Rangimārie, Hūmārie
Peacefulness
Aroha, Ngariri
Love / Manaaki, Tiaki-pai
Caring / Tino Pai-rawa
Excellence
Āwhina, Manaaki
Helpfulness / Matatika-nga
Trustworthiness / Tuku-márie
Tolerance
Harikoa, Hakoakoa
Joyfulness / Ngākau Atawhai
Kindness / Ū-ki-te-tiki
Justice
Hautoa
Courage / Ngákau Tapatahi
Integrity / Ū-tonu-tanga
Perseverance
Hiri-nga
Determination / Hūmārika
Gentleness / Waihanga-tanga
Creativity
Kai-ngākau
Enthusiasm / Ngāwari-wari
Flexibility / Whaka-hoahoa
Friendliness
Kotahi-tanga
Unity / Nohomā, Nohotika
Cleanliness / Whakaata-pono
Truthfulness
Mahi Tahi
Cooperation / Puku-mahi
Diligence / Whakatara-nga
Purposefulness
Mahi-pono-tia
Reliability / Pūmau, Ngākau Pōno
Loyalty / Kaha
Strength
Mahi rōpō
Teamwork / Iwi whānau
Community / Whānau
Family
Mahi pai
Quality of work / Rerekātonga, mahi hou
Innovation / Whaka-tikatika
Orderliness
Painga rawa atu
Perfection / Whaka ae tiki
Trust / Oritetanga
Equality
Neke atu
Progress / Wehenga
Privacy / Pononga pono
Honesty
Pukumahi
Hard work / Mōhio, mātauranga
Knowledge / Matatika
Fairness
Noho a tahi, whakaaro tahi
Harmony / Whakaute, Whakakōwhā
Respect / Whakaute, Whakakōwhā
Respect
Manawa-roa,
Patience

Principles of Te Whāriki