The next time you feel the impulse to form a team of colleagues, you might want to think twice. So suggested education consultant Penelope Wald, co-author (with Michael Castleberry) of Educators as Learners: Creating a Professional Learning Community.
Penelope Wald
Rather than creating a team, create a cause, Wald recommended. If your cause is compelling enough, it will attract team members. "You've got to find the life-giving force or there's no energy to your team," she said. That life-giving force might stem from a sense of urgency, a common goal, or shared beliefs. Ask yourself: What would arouse the passion of teachers to come together?
When creating a cause, think about what you want to produce—not what you want to get rid of, Wald advised. For example, rather than trying to get rid of misbehavior, focus on producing students who love learning so much that they forget to get in trouble. "Find something that's really big and glorious," she said. "Take it out of the mundane."