We had a two hour delay day in which the topic was "the purpose and expectations of collaboration." This was continued at our usual 1/2 hour delay Monday morning meeting the next Monday. And the 1/2 hour delay yesterday. (by the way our 1/2 delay usually takes 45 minutes which gets staff to class 5 minutes before the kids are allowed in.)
So. We spent 3 hours discussing "how to collaborate." We are a school of about 350 kids K-6 including fuctional life and preschool. 2 of each grade level. The grade level teachers talk all the time. For the most part, they plan together. The big honking elephant in our school is not how to plan together. The problem in our school is we are not a team. We are individuals and cliques. We are people who have been told we can't discuss one thing or another due to "privacy issues" when in fact it is due to administrator control issues.
Does anyone have meetings that make sense?
Why is it so hard for administrators to actually seek solutions with the kids in mind and from those responsible for working with them involved?
No one has THE answer. Administrators need to be leaders.
Listen to concerns spoken and implied
Educate all involved about the basis and reason for decisions
Ask questions to fully understand the problems at hand
Determine the best direction in resolving issues
Engage the team in determining solutions
Respect differing opinions
Seek success as a team
Am I asking for too much?
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