Building effective teams

In the context of early childhood education a team can be broadly defined as a group of people working together to advance their professional knowledge and skills in order to achieve an agreed-upon set of goals. This group may include teachers as well as professionals from outside agencies in an early childhood setting. The New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, also envisages early childhood teachers working in teams with parents and communities to support children as competent and confident learners.

Teamwork in early childhood settings is vital as it involves everyone contributing to achieving the overall mission of their community. Effective teamwork is essential for the development of professional knowledge and skills through engagement with research and professional learning and the collaborative sharing and questioning of practice. Its emphasis on open, trusting relationships supports wellbeing among teachers, children and the wider early childhood community.

The evidence on the importance of relationships in teaching and learning is unequivocal. There is a wealth of evidence on the importance of teamwork in school settings, although the body of research examining teams and teamwork in early childhood settings is less comprehensive. Early childhood education education researchers have suggested that the characteristics of effective teams identified by research in school settings are also applicable to the early childhood sector. These characteristics include collective learning, mutual responsibility, trusting relationships, shared and supportive leadership and having a shared vision and values.

Effective teams are built on respectful relationships. This requires everyone in the team to listen to others, appreciate divergent ideas and value others’ input. It is also important that everyone feels confident to offer alternative viewpoints and freely disclose their personal concerns and weaknesses. Other strategies such as developing shared goals, deprivatising one’s own practice, establishing supportive systems, helping teachers to see each other’s strengths, and sharing leadership contribute to the establishment and maintenance of effective teams. 

• Does everyone in our team listen to others and respect and value different ideas and viewpoints?
• Does everyone in our team feel comfortable and confident to share their thoughts and concerns?
• Does the team have a common understanding of our shared goals and work together to achieve them?
• Do we engage in collective learning by observing each other’s teaching, offering and accepting feedback, and sharing and evaluating new approaches?
• Is leadership shared within our team and does it work effectively to support teachers in their learning and practice?