Teaching trainers Kerstin Hämmerling and Jaro Pichel from the VU Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offer a research-based approach with the programme 'Building Strong Teams in Education' (BASOT): “Since its start in 2021, five cohorts of alumni have discovered how small steps can lead to significant changes within a teaching team.”
Now that the sixth round of the programme is starting off, Kerstin and Jaro are eager to share their insights and best tips to enhance the effectiveness of your teaching team.
Work to be done
This year, they noticed that some participants decided to leave their team after completing the programme. “Something we’ve seen more often over the years,” says Kerstin. “For outsiders, this might seem surprising: do people leave their job after participating in this programme? We’ve found that sometimes it’s actually healthy for both the individual and the teaching team when someone decides to leave to make room for something new.”
Jaro adds: “For me, these are the most impactful moments: participants becoming aware of the current situation and their role within the team. This can sometimes be confronting, when they realize that the safety or appreciation is lower than expected and that there is work to be done. From that awareness, changes can occur; sometimes they are small, like giving more compliments to colleagues or expressing appreciation within the team. As a result, we sometimes hear touching stories about how participants apply the programme’s insights.”
Kerstin mentions a former participant for whom the programme played a significant role in his professional development: “He was not only confirmed and empowered in his own leadership qualities but also realized that he could show leadership and take action to advance his career. For some participants, this programme acts as a catalyst that often comes at a crucial moment when they are unsure about their professional path. By gaining more insight into who they are, where their strengths and needs lie, and within their teams, participants can set clear personal goals and take action.”.
“I was actually inspired by this programme to actively take a leadership role. The fact that I have now become a programme director based on my teaching and leadership achievements is a beautiful example of how
Recognition & Rewards can look in practice,” - former participant.
Tips for building strong teaching teams
What are the key tips according to teaching trainers Jaro and Kerstin for building strong teams?
- Awareness of team fundamentals: work on a team with attention to the five building blocks: safety, meaning, recognition, autonomy, and connection. These elements form the foundation of an effective team.
Tip: ensure regular moments of reflection and discuss the status of these five building blocks within your team. - People-oriented leadership: leadership is about people! Create space for connection in your team, as it increases the well-being and performance of team members.
Tip: allow for personal check-ins and give team members the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings. - Self-awareness and development: leadership starts with self-awareness. By knowing your own strengths and pitfalls, you become better at recognizing them in others.
Tip: invest in personal development and encourage team members to do the same.
The BASOT-programme
What exactly do you learn in the programme?
- Self-insight and awareness: participants gain better insight into their own needs and behavior, which helps them function more effectively within their teams. “Thanks to this programme, I have learned to better understand and communicate my own boundaries,” says a former participant.
- Recognition and rewards: the programme teaches participants how to express recognition and appreciation within their teams, contributing to motivation and engagement.
- Safety and trust: creating a safe environment where team members can communicate openly and honestly is a core component of the programme.
A meeting place for educational leaders
Kerstin and Jaro aim for the BASOT programme to continue growing as a meeting place where (aspiring) educational leaders at VU Amsterdam can support each other and explore together what is needed to build effective teams. They want to promote a culture of inclusive, appreciative, and effective leadership within the organization: “We want to develop a common language and plant seeds for effective leadership throughout VU Amsterdam.”
Do you want to develop confidence in your leadership and enhance the effectiveness of your teaching team? Visit the VU website for more information about the programme.