We’re in it together—Team teaching in early childhood
This post originally appeared in Dr. Rachel A. Larimore’s weekly Samara newsletter on August 27, 2024. If you’re interested in receiving these emails, scroll to the bottom of this page to subscribe.
If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to vent a bit about one of my pet peeves.
When I lead workshops and folks introduce themselves I am disappointed when teachers introduce themselves as “lead,” “assistant,” or “aide.” But I get VERY triggered when teachers give their title with “just” in front of it. Like I’m “just an aide in the toddler classroom.”
My internal thought is always something like: Just?! As an aide, don’t you tend to a child when they need comforting? Don’t you engage in play with the children? Don’t you help children resolve their conflicts? In other words, don’t you do all the things a teacher does?
Now, you may be thinking “But licensing requires us to name who is a lead teacher based on qualifications.” Yes, they do.
But licensing does not require these titles to be used in everyday conversation. Licensing does not require the culture to somehow make people in different positions feel less than the others. Licensing does not require only the lead teacher to make decisions about children’s care.
So what would I prefer? Well, I’d prefer to hear all of the teachers talk as though they feel part of a team. To talk like they feel their ideas, thoughts, and work are valued in the success of the classroom. To present themselves as though they matter. Because they DO!
Every single adult in any classroom matters. They impact the children, the other adults, and interactions with families. Everyone matters.
This summer one of The Grove webinars focused on exactly this topic. The goal was to help classroom leaders implement a more unified team teaching approach.
Well, it was so useful that one of our members said, “Can I buy that as an on-demand webinar to share with my team during orientation?” I hadn’t planned on making it an on-demand webinar, but if it’s useful–sure!
So if you’re interested in learning more about HOW to implement a team teaching approach, check out the Implementing a Team Teaching Approach webinar here. (If you’re a member of The Grove, it’s in the library already!)
This week I hope you’ll reflect on your school and classroom culture and to what extent you operate as a team rather than a hierarchical system. Next time you or your staff introduce themselves, what will be the response?
Keep changing lives,
Rachel
Rachel A. Larimore, Ph.D., Chief Visionary of Samara Learning
About Rachel
Dr. Rachel A. Larimore is an educator, speaker, consultant, author, and former nature-based preschool director. As the founder and Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning her work focuses on helping early childhood educators start nature-based schools or add nature-based approaches into their existing program. Learn more about Rachel here.
Check out Rachel’s books Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool, Preschool Beyond Walls, Evaluating Natureness: Measuring the Quality of Nature-Based Classrooms in Pre-K through 3rd Grade, and her newest book Reimagining the Role of Teachers in Nature-based Learning: Helping Children be Curious, Confident, and Caring.
Ready to go deeper?
Reimagining the Role of Teachers in Nature-based Learning is here to help! You’ll learn to identify and also embody the many roles teachers play when implementing nature-based strategies. Chapters lay out the research and theory behind each role, specific language or behaviors of what that role looks like in practice, and reflexive questions to help educators reflect on their practice. This is perfect for in-service early childhood educators, including infant, toddler, preschool, and elementary providers, interested in more intentional use of nature in their teaching.
