ODYSSEYWARE

Those of us who went to public school can vaguely remember the feeling that began in the heart when you were one of the last kids standing as captains chose their teams for competition. If my memory serves me, teachers always chose the same kids to be in charge, others were always picked first, and still others held their breath through the process – until there was one.

It’s lonely in that space, especially since chances of poor performance seem to escalate after that sort of group humiliation.

Teaching can be that way. While you have the authority that comes from position, age, and having a bigger desk, being “chosen” by the tough K-12 crowd takes more than muscles. You need knowledge; you need skills; you need help.

According to MetLife Survey of the American Teacher (2009) and as reported in Education Week,

…today’s teachers work alone – they spend 93 percent of their time in school working away from their colleagues, and they continue to work alone during their out-of-school hours of preparation and grading.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Earning the respect of students allows you to reach them. In the same way that you expect them to keep learning, they expect you to keep learning. Collaboration with other teachers and experts seems to be one of the most logical, efficient, and (dare I say) fun ways to accomplish this. Creating or joining a professional learning team is more than a passing trend for teachers. It’s the future of education.

There’s no need to be the last one standing. Teachers everywhere are finding fulfillment in their careers by participating in professional learning teams. You can join an existing team or create one of your own (where you get to choose the players). Make the commitment to play on a winning team.

Now, doesn’t this sound like fun? What characteristics do you think are most important when choosing members for your learning team? How do you find them?

In tomorrow’s post, we’ll look at guidelines set up by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) to ensure the success of your team.