Early Childhood Teaming
 

Building Effective and Successful Teams (BEST) Project

The BEST Project’s Teaming module helps early childhood programs strengthen teams that work together to serve children and families.  Participants practice and implement skills such as establishing roles and ground rules, communicating successfully, managing conflict, running effective meetings, and participating in group decision making.  The positive, collaborative relationships formed through teaming allow programs to enhance their service delivery systems.

The module’s structure and format is based on the University of Idaho’s Building Effective and Successful Teams (BEST) model for delivering in-service training, which emphasizes team learning and direct application of knowledge.  This model has been researched, refined and used successfully with over 200 teams.  Teams of two to ten staff members and collaborators form site-based study groups to complete each chapter in the in-service training module. Teams are usually made up of people who work with each other on a regular basis.  Members can include teachers, specialists, aides, administrators, support staff, and other interested individuals such as parents or community volunteers. Program supervisors and/or BEST staff members monitor and support their work through e-mail, mail, telephone and/or on-site visits.  Pre, post, and follow-up surveys are completed to evaluate growth related to training efforts. Teams usually take 1½ - 2 hours to study a chapter by reading and discussing the material and completing activities together.  Programs may arrange team meetings to fit their schedule. 

There are eight chapters in the Teaming module.  Topics covered in include:

·         Defining the concept of teams and exploring the benefits of teamwork

·         Developing a common purpose, successful rules, and team goals

·         Identifying strengths and unique qualities of team members

·         Discovering communication styles and practicing effective communication skills

·         Learning about conflict styles, behaviors, and problem solving strategies

·         Using meeting time appropriately and effectively

·         Understanding decision-making processes and using appropriate decision-making tools

For more information, please contact Jennifer J. Olson or Phil Olson at the University of Idaho, BEST Project, 129 West Third Street, Moscow, ID  83843.  Phone: 208-885-3588

E-mail: jenn@uidaho.edu or polson@uidaho.edu

Website:  http://www.educ.uidaho.edu/best/