Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging. As instructional leaders and teachers we have the opportunity to create a sense of belonging within our schools for both our teachers and our students. We all know that relationships matter, but they can make our teaching and learning lives at school SO rich! If you are an instructional leader and you are interested in creating opportunities to foster collaboration and fellowship among the teachers at your school, here are three of my favorite ideas. If you would like to hear more about any of these topics, please reach out to me on social media. I would love to chat with you more and help you find a good fit for the teachers at your school.
1. Book Clubs
Select a text that ties your school’s mission and vision to a relevant topic for your teachers (I like to stick to non-fiction). Advertise the upcoming read in your building for a few weeks then open up the opportunity for teachers to sign up to be a part of the book club. Check to see if your school has funds to purchase the book for everyone who signs up so your teachers aren’t paying out of pocket for the book. Schedule weekly or biweekly meetings to discuss the reading and participate in relevant activities related to the text. The meetings can be done virtually or in person, synchronously or asynchronously. Offer professional development credits for the teachers who participate.
2. Wellness Wednesday
Start a teacher wellness program after school one day a week. Social Emotional Learning doesn’t just have to be for your students! Pick an activity that works well for the teachers at your school (you know them best). Yoga worked well at my school. It is something everyone can enjoy together after a stressful day of teaching! Check to see if your school or district has funds available to support teacher wellness.
3. Professional Development Cohorts
Cohorts can be a great model to deliver meaningful job-embedded professional development. Meet monthly with the same group of teachers and focus on a particular instructional lens that aligns to your school’s instructional objectives. Allow for co-planning and cross-curricular planning time. Encourage these teachers to get into one another’s classrooms for visits and peer feedback. Once these teachers are comfortable with visits, open their classrooms for a school-wide learning walk. Teach your teachers that their best instructional resource could be the teacher across the hallway.
