KAGAN of the Month
April 2019
Changing Base Teams
"Some of our students have been begging us to not change their teams. Is it really that important that we change teams every six weeks?” This is a question a couple of teachers with whom I was working recently asked me.
Dr. Kagan reminds us that there are three important reasons to change teams:
- We want to provide opportunities for students to transfer their teamwork skills to new social contexts. As we expose students to different groupings, we are helping provide those students with opportunities to develop social and life skills that they can transfer to other situations throughout their lives.
- We want to help refine and expand students’ abilities to function well given diverse team dynamics. As students move from base team to base team about every six weeks in our classrooms, students are provided with exposure to working with great friends, as well as with people with whom they share different team dynamics.
- When we have a student with whom it is a challenge for others to work, we want to ensure that the challenging student’s three teammates have an opportunity for more positive team experiences. Additionally, we want to help increase that challenging student’s teamwork skills; changing teams every six weeks increases the probability that the student will acquire those much-needed skills.
As I worked with those teachers, it became apparent to me that their question stemmed from a fear that the students’ next teams might not work as well as the current teams were working. Of course, this is a very legitimate fear. Change is nearly always a little scary, especially when things are currently going well. I reminded the teachers that it is essential that we bring closure to our current teams before moving students into new teams. Closure means finality; therefore, we have to help students let go of what is currently happening. In other words, as we move students into new teams, we must honor the transition away from what’s ending to what is about to begin.
Article by Dr. Rick Duvall
3rd - 8th Structure of the Month
Flashcard Star
The April structure of the month is Flashcard Star. Students circulate in the room quizzing new partners, hoping to retire cards from their practice deck.
Flashcard Star is great for knowledge building. It can be used for review and processing information.
It's important that your modeling the expectations for moving around the room and the steps of the structure. Students have a lot of steps to complete and displaying them as well as modeling will increase success. Make sure you model good praising and coaching. Students need to give coaching tips for wrong answers.
Kindergarten - 2nd Structure of the Month
Primary Interview
Primary Interview is the structure that primary grades will work on for the month of April. Students interview their partner and then each share with teammates what they learned.
Primary Interview is great for team building, processing and knowledge building.
It's important that you're modeling the expectations for teams. Focus on when students should work with their partner and when and how students should share. Students will need to be taught how to share what their teammate said. Try it with fun topics before you use content.
Note From Your Coach:
Josh Van Tassel
Imagine Kissimmee Charter Academy
Email: josh.vantassel@imagineschools.org
Website: www.imaginekca.org
Phone: 407-847-1400
Twitter: @TheEngagingVT