Capacity Building in Schools
What does capacity building mean in the educational setting?Capacity building in a school is essentially shifting power to include all of the stakeholders, rather than limiting decision-making to a small, elite group of people. In a school setting, in order to build the capacity of a school to be successful in educating their students, teachers need to have input in major decisions that will affect their classroom. In this way, educators are able to exert greater control over their teaching and the environment in which they teach.
What may be done to increase the sense of kinship, neighborliness, and collegiality among the faculty?
In order to best increase the collegiality of the faculty, there must be a shared vision for the school. Teachers need to feel as thought they are valued and their contribution matters. In addition, opportunities for social activities outside of standard teacher roles allow staff to interact and develop a better understanding of one another. Off campus professional development and out-of-state travel opportunities often allow staff to interact outside of their normal workplace and encourage social interactions. By getting to know colleagues better, a feeling of kinship can grow and help a school enhance its vision.
How might the faculty become more of a professional community in which everyone cares about each other and helps each other to grow, learn, and lead together?
Teacher mentorship can be an excellent way to help a faculty develop a stronger professional community. Both observing others and sharing ideas can help a teacher grow. Lifetime learning is a vital piece of being a teacher. By seeking out new knowledge and methods, a teacher can improve their methods and find different ways to reach their students. When a faculty works together to grow and achieve their school vision, the students gain increased knowledge and better encouragement.
What kinds of school and parent relationships must be cultivated to enable parents to be included in this emerging community?
In order to best facilitate positive relationships between a school and the parents, the school must develop a strong understanding of the community that they serve. When one becomes a teacher in a new school, it is vital that one puts energy towards getting to know the families and overall culture of the community. By understanding the values of the families and community, a teacher can work with parents to better support their students.
How may teaching and learning settings be arranged so they are more like a family?
In order to create an environment that has a greater family feeling, it is important to consider what are the "family" values which a teacher may want to instill. In many classrooms, particularly those in an elementary setting, collaborative arrangements help a class learn to work together and share. Much like a typical family dinner that many envision, a table setting allows students to share supplies and ideas. It is equally vital that roles be assigned to students to create ownership and value to their contributions. People respond better to praise and appreciation than to negativity, and for students in at-risk situations this is especially true. Creating a family environment and a sense of community in a classroom makes learning more valued for the students.
What are the shared values and commitments that enable the school to become a community of minds?
It is truly important that a school community operates under an umbrella of shared goals and beliefs. A successful school works best when the key stakeholders feel a sense of ownership over the mission and vision of the school. When a school creates the vision and mission with contributions from representatives of each area of stakeholder (i.e. teachers, staffs, administration, parents, community members, and students), there is a greater sense of value to the words. The mission and vision for a school are not only words, but a moral compass and sense of purpose for a school to live by. By developing a shared sense of purpose, a school can truly grow into a community of minds.
