Page 20 - Leadership Basics Educative Leadership

How Learning Teams Function

Stage 1
In conjunction with the leader, team members decide what aspect of their work to focus upon, with
the goal of improving the team’s teaching and learning. For example, the focus for the next 10 weeks
may be the questioning techniques used in class by teachers.
Stage 2

The team members determine specific roles and tasks. The educative leader may make suggestions
about this. For example, one team member may be responsible for observing the use of questioning
by the other teachers in their classes. Another teacher may be given the task of seeking out resources,
such as books, websites or articles on improving the use of questions in teaching. Another member
may be given the responsibility of developing a two-hour workshop on questioning techniques for the
team.
Stage 3

Each member of the learning team sets out to complete their task or responsibility within the
prescribed time frame, which is commonly known as carrying out their action plans.

Stage 4
At regular intervals, learning teams report their progress to the others. This involves reflective practice,
in which team members provide critical feedback and help each other explore their ideas and progress.

Cyclical process
The process of learning starts again and the cycle continues. The role of the educative leader is to
ensure that the level of interest in the learning team is maintained and that the team is continually
supported in its activities.

Some considerations for educative leaders in establishing learning teams
The educative leader tries to mould individual teachers into a learning team, which requires
commitment and skill. It is often difficult to persuade teachers to take time to share with their peers,
never mind work actively with them to evaluate and improve their teaching practice.
Trust
Teachers have to trust each other. If one teacher feels that he or she cannot talk openly in front of
another group member, or if he or she feels that they cannot comment on another teachers work,
then the learning team will not work.
Sharing for Mutual Gain

If one teacher in the team feels that others are stealing his or her work, or if one teacher in the group
feels that the others are sponging off him or her, then the learning team will fail. At different times,
one teacher or another will be better than his or her peers or will work harder or have more ideas.
The members of the group must be able to share their ideas and work for the mutual benefit of the
school.

Collaboration, not Competition
If a team member perceives a need to compete with other members, the learning team will fail. The
need to compete against other teachers for a promotional position will sometimes create the false
idea that they have to jealously guard their achievements and hide their less successful moments from
the view of others. Paradoxically, promotion to supervisory position is most commonly based on
evidence of a person’s ability to work in teams.

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