In conversations with my principal/mentor, she suggested that we take a look at
Teacher Culture and trying strategies to improve the cohesiveness of the staff.
For this project I plan to attempt to use the Plan, Do, Study, Act model.
1. Driver Sentence: On our campus we want to improve the teacher culture
and the relationships between teachers and, between teachers and school
leaders.
2. The value of the project to the school: Improving these relationships can
help foster a culture where teachers feel comfortable working together in
PLCs, developing curriculum and sharing teaching strategies. Residual
effects of improving teacher relationships might include teachers spending
time with together outside of school, or choosing to remain with the school
for longer periods of time.
3. Change actions: Providing teachers opportunities to work together in
PLCs, and other activities to foster teacher relationships such as monthly
teacher lunch pot-lucks, at least one offsite teacher “adventure” (maybe an
escape room activity), school leaders recognizing teachers who participate
in team building.
4. Stakeholders/collaborative team involved in making the change: Principal,
Assistant Principal, and teachers from across the school.
5. PD needs for the collaborative team: While professional development is
not necessary to foster relationships, providing opportunities to work in
teams will.
6. Name of thought Partner: Latoyia Pea
Lisa Brown
Action Research Proposal
In conversations with my principal/mentor, she suggested that we take a look at
Teacher Culture and trying strategies to improve the morale and cohesiveness of
the staff. For this project I plan to attempt to use the Plan, Do, Study, Act model,
since the plan is to work to improve teacher culture.
At Nixon-Smiley High School we have good teachers, but we lack connectivity
and cohesiveness among the teachers. Teachers are friendly and interact
positively, however there is a feeling of separateness. On our campus we want
to improve the teacher culture and the relationships between teachers and,
between teachers and school leaders. In improving how the teachers interact
with one another and with the school leaders, we are hoping that this will improve
the relationships with students and foster a culture of higher expectations for
teachers and for their students.
The value of the project to the school is that improving these relationships
between teachers and, between teachers and school leaders can help foster a
culture where teachers feel comfortable working together in PLCs, developing
curriculum, communicating with school leaders and sharing teaching strategies.
Residual effects of improving teacher relationships might include teachers
spending time with together outside of school, or choosing to remain with the
school for longer periods of time.
To work toward change we will try providing teachers opportunities to work
together in PLCs, and other activities to foster teacher relationships such as
monthly teacher lunch pot-lucks, at least one offsite teacher “adventure” (maybe
an escape room activity), and school leaders recognizing teachers who
participate in team building. Other activities might be morale boosters, such as
appreciation notes and check-in visits.
While professional development is not necessary to foster relationships,
providing opportunities do so can. I will work the school Principal, Assistant
Principal, and teachers from across the school to lead the various activities listed
above.
My thought partner during the Action Research workshop was Latoyia Pea and
although I have not had an opportunity to visit with her on this proposal, I have
taken discussed with my PCN cohort colleague Maria Jiminez.
Lisa Brown