Patterns in our Work, Ideas from other Teams, and Ideas to Grow on

In the last blog, I stated that I would not write another blog until the notes of the teachers and my notes were reviewed. In my review, I found patterns in our Teacher Based Team work and ideas from other TBTs that should be shared. Our Teacher Based Teams have grown in their work and will continue to grow in their work; and so, this blog also offers ideas for how we can continue to grow.

Patterns in our Work

The focus of our TBT work is to discuss instruction, review data, and plan for intervention. Anything that doesn’t fit in these categories should be saved for grade level meetings.

I have analyzed my notes from attending TBTs and saw some patterns that I would like to share. In every visit, I saw general discussions about instruction.  Intervention was planned and data was reviewed at 33% of all of the meetings I attended. At 25% of the meetings attended, there were discussions about specific students.

Ideas from other Teams

When I reviewed teacher notes from TBTs, some notes were missing in some TBT folders. In some TBTs, teachers bring a laptop to the TBT with them and take notes when the meeting is going on. This would save time after TBTs, ensure that notes are taken, and would also provide a review of notes for group agreement.

One of the TBTs answers these questions in each of their notes: What were we thinking? How does the data effect the group?

Ideas to Grow On

As we start to grow in our work in TBTs, we should start to hear discussions about what instructional strategies are being planned for an upcoming lesson. After the lesson has been taught, teachers then come together to discuss how the strategy worked or didn’t work and how it can be adjusted to make it better. This kind of work will move teachers into deeper discussions not only about what are best practices in teaching but what works best for our students at East.

When we look at the data, we are moving students into liked groups for intervention. It is fitting for teachers to have discussions about individual students as well. If a teacher is having a particularly difficult time with a student learning a skill, it is fitting to bring this up to the TBT. Together the team can recommend strategies to try with this student. Having a group of teachers around you that teach the same subject and grade level is a great way to get ideas and figure things out for students on an individual level.

Thanks

Teachers, thanks for all of your hard work in Teacher Based Teams. I am continually impressed with the work that you are doing in your teams, and I’m looking forward to your continued growth.