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staff development

Eight Back to School Icebreakers for Team Building and Bonding

by Peggy Reimers August 9, 2023

written by Peggy Reimers

Are you ready to tackle the hot-button issue of icebreakers? The topic of icebreaker activities is as controversial as the creamy vs crunchy peanut butter and proper toilet tissue roll orientation debates. You either love icebreakers or you hate them. Personally, I love a good icebreaker. Now, don’t get me wrong. If I have to sing, dance, or get really personal, I am out. But a good “get-to-know-you activity” or a “warm-up game” is something I am totally on board with. A good icebreaker sets a positive and welcoming tone, promotes interaction and engagement, and helps participants feel more comfortable and connected. So it can contribute to the success of the social gathering or group activity!

Are people interested in icebreakers?

While perusing Twitter one day, I came across this post by The Madwoman in the Classroom. I loved her question:

“What are legitimate alternatives to icebreakers that get school staff involved and facilitate communication and camaraderie? If you say “none” or “let me work in my room,” I’m going to hide your answer. I don’t need snark this morning, I am looking for real answers.”

Yes, I then went through all 724 responses. And take note, this post was (at the time) liked by 930 people. Proof there is interest in icebreakers!

Three Criteria for Icebreakers

I have three criteria for designing and choosing icebreakers. Whenever I’m planning an icebreaker activity, it must meet these three requirements:

Needs to have an element of fun
Low-key and informal without causing embarrassment
I, myself, would participate in this activity

I highlight eight icebreakers below that I discovered in comments on The Madwoman in the Classroom’s Tweet. They meet all three criteria and, in my humble opinion, would be great for back to school 2023!

1. School Encouragement Tour with Post-Its

For this icebreaker, the administration creates a schedule for different groups of staff to take a walk around the entire school (including classrooms, office, gym, library, cafeteria, buses, etc.). While you are on the tour, introduce yourself to new staff or give a back-to-school greeting to the people you meet. Take a minute to reconnect and take in their space. Use a Post-it note to write an encouraging statement. Leave it on their door as you go or drop it off in their school mailbox. This idea came from Heidi Graci, and she comments in the tweet, “I kept mine in my closet all year for encouragement during a stressful year.”

Materials needed: Post-it notes, pens/markers

2. Top-Tier Lesson Plan Ted Talk

Carve out some time during in-service for this idea-sharing icebreaker activity shared by Lorca Damon! You will need to tell your staff ahead of time so they have time to prepare. Divide your staff into grade levels (for elementary) or content areas (for secondary). Ask everyone to bring their top-tier lesson plan and give a one-minute Ted talk on why it was awesome/is your favorite. I personally think this is a great way to share good lesson plans and ideas.

Sample email you can send your teachers:

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we prepare for our upcoming inservice days, I’d like to request that we allocate some time for a valuable activity: A Top Tier Lesson Plan Ted Talk. For this activity, you will be placed in groups by grade level (for elementary) or subject areas (for secondary).

For this activity, I’d like each staff member to bring their top-tier lesson plan and present it in a one-minute TED talk-style presentation. Plan to explain why this lesson plan is awesome and why it holds a special place as your favorite. This will serve as a wonderful opportunity for us to share ideas and learn from each other, discovering valuable best practices and effective strategies we have within our team.

By sharing these good lesson plans, we can inspire and support one another in our mission to provide exceptional education. I believe this activity will foster collaboration, creativity, and professional growth among our faculty. Let’s make the most of this time together and strengthen our bond as a dedicated team.

Looking forward to the insightful and engaging presentations!

Sincerely,

[signature]

Materials: Lesson plan, technology (if needed), space for small breakout groups

3. Phone Photo Show and Tell

Take some time to have your staff pick their favorite picture on their phone. Allow for time to move around the room and share the photo with a few people. Usually, everyone loves to share about kids, pets, and travel. As Sarah Van Dermyden, the creator of this response, states: “It took the focus off of looking at each other and moved it to the phone for people who feel on the spot.” This is a good icebreaker for providing movement and casual conversation.

Materials: Phones and photos

4. Guess Who?

For this icebreaker activity shared by Mrs. Seibel, the principal hands out an index card to each staff and faculty member. Everyone fills it out with their name, where they were born, and an interesting fact or two about themselves. During in-service, the principal can read the cards out with staff guessing whose card it might be. If you have a large staff, I would probably spread this activity out throughout the year’s staff meetings.

Materials: Index cards and pens/markers

5. Melody Mystery

@Twisted3100 shared this fun idea! Send out a request for each of your staff to submit a song, any song (through a Google Form, by email, or using index cards like the Guess Who activity). They need to give the song title, artist, and a sentence explaining why it is important to them (without giving away their identity). It could be tied to a special event, a song they always sing on a road trip, or a song that reminds them of their wild college days.

During in-service, play a clip of each song for the group to hear. Guessing ensues! Who submitted the song? Most songs can be played on Spotify or through the iTunes store. I like this activity because your choice of song is up to each individual and there are SO many songs to choose from. Just like the Guess Who activity, a few songs can be played at future staff meetings throughout the year.

Materials: A method for collecting staff songs and information, a service through which to play songs, a device and speakers

6. Collective Resumes

@Teach_WA believes that collective resumes are a valuable icebreaker activity. Divide your staff into groups. You can use random groups or group people by grade level or subject. Display this graphic so each group can discuss, gather, and display their collective information on a poster. Host a gallery walk so the information can be shared with the whole group.

Each group should provide the following:

Years of experience
Taught in ___ schools
Grade levels taught
Degrees
Expertise
Strengths
Hobbies

Materials: directions, markers, and large Post-it pad paper (or butcher paper will work), Collective Resume Editable Graphic Template, Collective Resume Graphic for Display

7. Would You Rather?

Get the **Would You Rather: Teacher Edition** activity!

I like a game called Would You Rather, so I was happy to see Jennifer Greenland suggest it as an icebreaker in the comments. If you are not familiar, it’s a fun and engaging activity where participants are presented with a series of hypothetical choices. And they must choose between two options. The choices are often amusing, challenging, or thought-provoking, leading to interesting discussions and revealing insights into participants’ preferences and personalities. You can share out as a whole group or play in a small group setting. It’s low stress for the socially anxious among us.

Materials: Would You Rather: Teacher Edition Slide Deck

8. The Solo Cup Stacking Challenge

**Get the complete details for this activity!**

@Mariea_amy suggested another one of my favorites! In this challenge, participants work in groups of four. They create a grappler tool using four pieces of string and a rubber band to move cups placed in three stacks into a six-cup pyramid shape. Be prepared for lots of great communication and collaboration, and laughs!

Materials: (per group) Six solo cups, four pieces of string, and a rubber band

BONUS Resource

If you are an icebreaker aficionado, Tracie Kile suggests you check out the Facebook group called Team Building Activities for Educators. You will need to request membership, and once you’ve joined, you’ll find a wealth of ideas and resources to sift through and explore.

Remember, the power of a well-designed icebreaker can set a positive and welcoming tone, foster meaningful interactions, and create a sense of comfort and connection among your faculty and staff. So, cheers to the new school year! May it be celebrated with the smell of new crayons, welcome-back smiles and hugs, and– a good icebreaker!

August 9, 2023 3 comments

Infographic of the employee development cycle outlined in the article

Leadership

How an Engaged Leader Fosters Employee Development

by Lori Gracey July 13, 2023

written by Lori Gracey

One of the key roles of any leader is to foster growth in the people we work with. Recognizing where they are and what they need in order to further develop their skills is critical. As I discussed in a recent blog, a default leader typically provides the same growth opportunities to all employees while an engaged leader differentiates the support provided to staff based on where the individual is in the development cycle. Today, let’s look at the employee development cycle and define what each level requires from an engaged leader.

How People Typically Develop

Dr. Stevie Dawn defines the employee development cycle as having four distinct levels, each of which requires different interactions from the leader in order for growth to happen.

An graphic of Dr. Stevie Dawn's employee development cycle

Level 1: Low Skill/High Commitment

Typically, these are new hires to the organization or those new to their position. They are your first-year teachers or those experienced staff who have moved into a different job responsibility. They are excited about new opportunities and really want to be successful. They want to make a great impression on their boss as well as their peers. But they may lack the procedural skills and the group social norms to be completely successful.

An engaged leader helps a Level 1 staff member with a direct approach. Explicit instructions and step-by-step procedures will help them be most successful. This is not the staff member to approach with unclear expectations. Additional tasks outside their new position should be carefully considered before they are assigned as they can become overwhelmed quickly in Level 1 of employee development.

Level 2: Some Skill/Low Commitment

About 90 days into the new position, a Level 1 staff member may become a Level 2 in the employee development cycle. This person has lost some of their excitement about the job and is now much more familiar with the roadblocks and drawbacks of the position. The shine has worn off and they are feeling like they may have made a mistake in taking this role. The road ahead seems dark, and they lack a positive outlook. In addition, they may have lost faith and trust in the organization.

This is a time for the engaged leader to act. Use a coaching approach to remind them of the goal and where the team is headed. Emphasize the importance that they play on the team in reaching that goal. Focus on the mission and provide lots of encouragement.

It’s a good idea to go ahead and schedule some time with these folks before they reach their 90 days so that you can prevent them from getting completely lost. Take note of what they are doing well and how their skills have grown and share that with them and with their peers. Recognize them for how hard they are working and their desire to improve.

Level 3: Variable Skill and Commitment

About 90% of the workforce falls into this category of the employee development cycle most of the time. As a group, they have a mixed bag of skills, having fine-tuned some but ignoring others that are needed. They like some of the tasks that they have to do in their role but dislike others. There are good days for them and bad days, but overall, they are consistent and competent.

A supportive approach is needed for them from the engaged leader. More autonomy in their job should be provided as they have now proven themselves. But encouragement is definitely still needed. Remind them of all that they have accomplished and of the goals still waiting to be met. Ask them for feedback and clarification about their tasks and how you can better help them. Provide them with new opportunities to learn and shine, but continue emphasizing skill development where they are lacking.

Level 4: High Skill/High Commitment

These high-achieving staff members have gained tremendous knowledge and potential and are now looking for a new challenge. They want to move up in the organization. If this desire to advance is stifled, they may face burnout and the development of a negative outlook.

With them, the engaged leader should use a delegation approach. Have them serve as mentors or senior leaders; give them leadership roles in committees or projects. Or move them into a completely new position, thus putting them back at Level 1 with new opportunities and challenges. Challenge them, but also be sure to provide the professional learning they will need to be successful.

How well the engaged leader individualizes their approach to employee development can determine whether the organization reaches its goal or not. So, think about each of your team members and where they are in the cycle. Then schedule a time to meet with each one and follow the approach recommended.

July 13, 2023 0 comment

Leadership Professional Learning

Speed Geeking for Your Next Faculty Meeting

by Dr. Bruce Ellis December 21, 2022

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Speed geeking is a method of quickly exposing individuals to a large number of ideas or technologies in a short period of time. It is a rapid-fire, rapid-learning format that can be used to quickly evaluate and compare a wide range of ideas or technologies.

What Is Speed Geeking?

The speed geeking process typically involves a group of individuals who are interested in a particular topic or area of technology. The group is divided into smaller teams, and each team is given a set of ideas or technologies to evaluate. The teams then rotate through a series of stations, spending a few minutes at each station to quickly evaluate the idea or technology.

Formats for Speed Geeking

One common way to conduct a speed geeking session is to use a “pitch and switch” format. In this format, each team member gives a brief pitch about their idea or technology tool and then switches to the next station to hear the next pitch. This allows each team member to quickly evaluate a wide range of ideas and technologies, and to compare and contrast them in a short period of time.

Another common format for speed geeking is the “show and tell” format. In this format, each team member demonstrates their idea or technology, and the other team members have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. This allows for a more hands-on and interactive evaluation of the ideas and technologies.

There are two typical ways to have teachers experience speed geeking. The first method, which is most like speed dating, is where groups of teachers rotate to different stations (or rooms) where the presenter(s) share with them. The second method has all the teachers grouped in the same room, but the presenters switch out. When one presenter is done, the next presenter shares. This can be done as a whole group or with presenters switching to small groups.

Why Is Speed Geeking Valuable?

Speed geeking can be a valuable tool for organizations and individuals who are looking to quickly evaluate and compare a large number of ideas or technologies. It can be used to identify promising new technologies, compare different approaches to solving a particular problem, or spark new ideas and collaborations among team members. Overall, speed geeking can be a useful tool for organizations and individuals who are looking to stay on the cutting edge of technology and innovation while also giving staff the opportunity to share with each other.

How Does This Apply to Faculty Meetings?

So, how might you use speed geeking in your next faculty meeting? It might involve technology tools/apps for teachers to use in their classroom, or it might be solely focused on pedagogy. Since each presentation should be no more than five minutes, think through how you might follow up with the teachers so they can go deeper into the areas of interest to them. Either way, your teachers will enjoy a fast-paced, informative format that quickly shares the main ideas and gives them the opportunity to ask questions and take a deep dive later.

December 21, 2022 0 comment

Professional Learning

Planning Now for Engaging Staff Development Later

by Dr. Bruce Ellis May 31, 2021

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Before you know it, August will be here and staff development sessions will be in full swing as the new school year begins. Planning now is a must for making sure that you have all the best strategies and tools put together to help your teachers start the year with confidence. To help in that process, here are three tools you might consider integrating into your training for deeper, more engaged learning.

Brainstormer for Staff Development

Getting teachers engaged in discussions during staff development is sometimes challenging. One way to ensure that they engage is to build buy-in to the topic/concept that is being discussed in the training. Brainstormer helps you do just that. Sometimes it is easy to dismiss free tools because they fall short of creating amazement. But that’s not true for Brainstormer. Besides just brainstorming, which is a helpful onramp to any discussion, the free site allows teachers to upvote the topics/ideas that have been shared. This is a great way to build consensus.

If you were teaching with Google between 2008 and 2015, you may have come across the Google tool Moderator. Moderator was relinquished to the Google Graveyard leaving teachers in a lurch to accomplish both brainstorming AND voting in one tool. Fortunately, Brainstormer has come along and is much more intuitive for both teachers and students.

Mote

Giving feedback, whether it is to other teachers or to students, is so helpful in improving the quality of a product. That product could be a teacher skill used in the classroom or a student activity that helps students develop and demonstrate skills. But feedback can be difficult. I’m great at giving detailed, meaningful feedback when I’m starting to grade, but my comments become shorter and more succinct (i.e. less robust and meaningful) the further down the stack of grading I go. If a students is assessed earlier in the stack, she gets the benefit of more attention from me while, unfortunately, the last students assessed get a few short bullet points…maybe.

This is where Mote shines brightly! This freemium tool allows you to easily give audio feedback comments to students. The free version allows up to 30 seconds of recorded comments while the paid versions give 60 or 90 seconds, depending on the plan you choose. There is no limit to the number of “motes” you can give. Mote lets you use your voice to leave comments in Google Docs, Classroom, Slides, and Gmail. You can even add verbal comments to any web page using Motepad. Once you add the Chrome extension, you’ll be ready to start sharing your verbal comments!

This tool may seem a little clunky at first since it doesn’t allow you to listen to the mote INSIDE the document itself. Instead, each mote is provided via a shortened URL that opens in a new tab, thus taking you or your students out of the environment (Docs, Classroom, Slides, etc.) that you happen to be in at the moment to listen to the audio. If you can look past this unfortunate feature, you’ll find Mote a great tool to use as you share audio feedback, instructions, comments, and ideas with others.

FutureMe

During training, it is always best practice to ask teachers how they would apply what they have learned when they are back in their classrooms, the benefits of applying that information, and where they can find more information or support if they hit any barriers in the process.

Using FutureMe is a great way to help do just that. Have teachers to go the website and schedule an email to go out sometime in the future, at least seven days from now, but could be a month or so. Give them this outline of questions/statements to share with their future selves:

What is the topic/concept/strategy that you learned about today?
Share the gist of the learning that took place.
What are two benefits to you and/or your students to be gained by implementing the topic/concept/strategy?
Share if you had an “aha” moment today and what it was.
Where can you go for help – who can you call, website to visit, district resource, etc.?

Have them think of the letter to their future selves as a sales letter telling them about today’s learning. Try to have them recapture the freshness of the learning, any excitement or fun that occurred, or relevant insights that they might need reminding of later on.

You don’t need a login for the FutureMe website. It is a freemium service, so if it is something that you decide to use often for yourself, you might look in to the benefits of what the upgraded plans offer.

Let TCEA Help with Staff Development

I would be remiss if I didn’t share a gentle reminder that TCEA is happy to provide top-notch, hands-on learning for your educators. We can offer face-to-face training tailored to meet your specific needs, self-paced online training that is convenient for busy educators, and various conferences that allow like-minded, tech-loving teachers and administrators to get together in well-designed learning events. If you would like to find out how we can help meet your specific needs, feel free to contact me at your convenience. You can reach me at bellis@tcea.org.

May 31, 2021 0 comment

Leadership Professional Learning

Eight Seconds and They’re Gone

by Lori Gracey February 4, 2016

written by Lori Gracey

A new study released by Microsoft reveals that the average adult now has an attention span less than that of a goldfish: just eight seconds. That’s amazing, isn’t it? That means that, after only eight seconds, participants in your staff development session will be reaching for their mobile devices, checking email, viewing their social media feeds, and not paying any attention to you. How can you as a professional development provider compete? Here are some tips and tricks to help keep your staff engaged and learning.

Integrate emotionally-driven content. We listen much more when our emotions are involved. So be sure to tell a story about the content they are learning and make it personal, if you can. Use images and graphics on your slides that are powerful and convey a certain feeling. Don’t be afraid to share a problem you experienced while using the particular tool or skill you are teaching.

Stop the slideshow frequently. Research says that a presenter should re-connect with the audience after presenting just three slides of information. At that point, it’s time to get them involved in something a little more active than listening. This could be something as simple as asking them to Pair/Share, type in something in TodaysMeet, add an idea to a Google Doc, or just raise their hands if they agree with what has been presented. What matters is that they stop zoning out and refocus on the content that is being presented.

Grow your tool belt. As a great teacher, you need a tool belt that is constantly expanding with ways to keep your audience involved in the learning. Adults can become bored using the same tool over and over, just like students do. So be sure to follow @TCEA on Twitter and gain a new tool every day or so to keep the focus new and fresh.

Get everyone involved. Regardless of the professional learning setting, it is critical that we do everything in our power to get each attendee actively participating.

If you’re in a large room, consider having the participants use the free app Crowd Mics to allow their voices to be heard using just their own devices. Crowd Mics will turn the devices into wireless microphones, ensuring that everyone can hear what is being shared. You can also use it to have the learners text or respond to poll questions.
If you’re breaking your staff into small groups to work, make sure they come back together on time by using Marinara Timer. The leader sets the time remaining on the website and participants can see how much is left using their own devices. This makes it perfect even if they leave the room to discuss the topic or are working in a webinar session.

Chunk it. Avoid cognitive overload by breaking the learning into small, manageable segments. Don’t use large blocks of text in your slides and avoid too many bullet points. Help the learners be successful by designing smaller modules or activities.

Give them the gift of time. We all need time to practice a new concept or skill repeatedly in order to be successful. So be generous with how much time you give attendees to practice on their own or with a partner. Make sure the time is structured, however, so that it’s not wasted. Scaffold the time with small projects and a clear explanation of what they need to accomplish.

Since this blog took longer than eight seconds to read, I hope you are still with me. If so, let me know how you are ensuring that your learners are actively engaged by posting your ideas in the Submit a Comment section below. And thanks for continually working to make professional development better for your staff!

February 4, 2016 0 comment

Educational Trends

Badges for Professional Learning

by Diana Benner January 23, 2016

written by Diana Benner

This blog was updated May 11, 2016 with additional badge resources.

At the recent TCEA Campus Technology Specialist Academy, I presented on “Promoting Technology Use on Your Campus.” During the presentation, I mentioned rewarding teachers who come to training by giving them badges. The technology team at Lubbock ISD immediately stated, “Rewarding our staff with badges for completing staff development has really motivated them.” Focusing on positive motivation rather than a fear of negative consequences can really make a difference.

If you are looking for ways to motivate teachers to attend professional development, try incorporating badges. Below are a few resources for creating your own.

Resources for Creating Badges

Class Badges – This is one of the more popular badging platforms, allowing the teacher to easily award badges aligned with learning goals.
Credly – Credly helps teachers to create badges, upload their own designs, and give credit through the platform. It is available as a web-based version and an iOS app.
Create a Badge with Google Drawing – If you have ever thought of creating your own badges, Google Drawing is a great tool to use. Read Alice Keeler’s blog entry on how easy it is to do.
For All Badges – This is an iOS app that works in conjunction with For All Rubrics to align your rubrics with the badging system. The app also integrates with Mozilla’s Open Badges platform, and allows students (or staff members) to save badges to their “backpack.”
Open Badges – Open Badges lets teachers to create and issue badges that do not have to be tied to a certain platform. Take the Badges 101 Quiz to see how it works and to earn your first badge.

Stay tuned for the 2016 TCEA Campus Technology Specialist Academy happening in Austin on November 17-18. This innovative, hands-on event will feature more great professional development resources, including badging.

Teachers who take the time to learn now have a way to be acknowledged for that learning. And we all know that recognition from our peers is the sweetest reward. Encourage them to include their earned credentials in their email signature or print and post them in their classroom. You can even publicly honor them by “presenting” the badges at a faculty meeting.

Here is Lubbock ISD’s Digital Learning site, a great resource.

Micro-Credentials

Micro-credentialing is another way to reward staff for professional learning. These may be courses that are shorter than those for which badges or certificates are awarded, and are usually done online. There’s a nice infographic on micro-credentials from Taniya Knights here.

If you are incorporating a badging system into your professional development, we’d love to hear from you. Please let us know in the comment section below.

January 23, 2016 2 comments