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Cohesive Teaching Teams - What Makes the Difference

by Julie Powers
May/June 1996
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"I have to work with her?"

One of the unique features of our field is that we work closely with a diverse group of people. While most elementary schools have one teacher/one classroom as a model, preschool environments tend to have teaching teams. In fact, many of us "teach in a fishbowl," as boundaries between classrooms, office space, and playgrounds blur. The ability to work together to meet the needs of children and families is crucial. One of the greatest impacts we can make as directors is to create the atmosphere and organizational structures which allow adults to work together in teams.

What Staff Need

Leo Tolstoy said, "All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." We can learn from talking to happy team members. When members of successful teams are asked "What makes it work?," the common issues of caring and commitment are frequently cited.

1. Caring

A climate of caring is very important to many preschool staff. Many talk about wanting to work with people who care about the families they serve as well as caring about each other. Kindness, support, understanding, respect, concern, and trust are ...

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