How does the principal forge a united faculty that envisions itself as a team of educators working on behalf of all students? Begin by reminding every faculty member of these three points:
- Every student is a general education student and a full member of the school community.
- Some students just need additional supports!
- Having a united faculty is EVERY educator’s responsibility!
Provide visible and verbal support for shared ownership. Proactively establish a sense of shared ownership through the following actions.
- Allocate time during back-to-school staff development sessions or faculty meetings to clearly express your expectations for embracing all students.
- Devote a single purpose faculty meeting to discuss ways in which the school can demonstrate shared responsibility to the students and to the community. Require purposeful actions and evaluate results.
- Conduct a related book study for the entire faculty or small groups.
- Place special populations teachers on grade level or department teams.
- Arrange opportunities for a Teacher Exchange Day in which teachers switch teaching roles for a day on a voluntary basis. Conduct a debriefing session at the end of the day.
- Meet with teachers on an individual basis to question practices or comments that are not compatible with the philosophy of shared ownership.
- Provide opportunities for teachers to examine their own “cultural competence” with individuals of a different race or culture.
Self-assess your commitment to promoting shared ownership for all students:
http://fs19.formsite.com/TriciaWillms/form310/index.html
