The power of a small conversation

My team had been working together for three years, learning how to trust, work, and collaborate together. But we hadn’t yet reached the synchronous team “flow” in which our efforts together had that WOW impact on student learning. Yet, we had small moments, small wins where our teamwork launched our students forward BECAUSE we worked together. Therefore, I wanted to see us use our collaboration strategies consistently, across subjects to drive student learning and engagement.

To launch my cause for change, I prepared my story. I planned my negotiation questions. The team meeting was scheduled for Wednesday where I would lay it out there. But then a teammate and I were chatting and my “cause” came up in conversation. I told her the story. She was onboard. A few days later, another teammate and I were having a water cooler conversation and I thought, “Why wait until Wednesday?” I delivered the story again. She and I began to negotiate. Ideas were being shared! Wednesday’s meeting arrived, and before I mentioned anything, a teammate chimed, “Kim was thinking…” And the team began negotiating a whole plan related to my cause. The change started taking shape. We designed a plan for next year’s units in which we would collaborate with each other and teachers of drama, art, STEAM, and the school counselor. It is in the works!

NoTosh Leading from the Middle taught me to find my cause, tell my story, and get people on board to make change on my team and in my school. The part that I didn’t expect along the journey was how it would happen. A cause for change does not have to be announced at a meeting or officially presented. Sometimes the best way to make change is a small conversation.