K-12 Curriculum Development

Teams demand a merging of individual accountability with mutual accountability.  Few "teams can perform without investing time to shape and agree upon a common purpose, set of goals, and working approach" (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993, p. 25).  Does your team have a common purpose?  When teachers work together to identify key skills and key concepts students need to know and be able to do, they provide feedback and support to other members of the team.  When teams meet to discuss the curriculum, it enhances students opportunity to learn.

DuFour (2004) wrote, "In addition, faculties must stop making excuses for failing to collaborate. Few educators publicly assert that working in isolation is the best strategy for improving schools. Instead, they give reasons why it is impossible for them to work together: "We just can't find the time." "Not everyone on the staff has endorsed the idea." "We need more training in collaboration." But the number of schools that have created truly collaborative cultures proves that such barriers are not insurmountable" (p. 8).

Additional Resources for your Team:

The Power of Teamwork: Inspired by the Blue Angels
View Video

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

What is a Professional Learning Community?

A Process to Develop High-Performing Teams

References:

DuFour, R. (2004). What is a professional learning community? Educational
         Leadership, 61(8), 6-11.

Katzenbach, J.R., & Smith, D.K. (1993). The wisdom of teams: Creating the
         high-performance organization. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.