Building Collective Teacher Efficacy in Weekly Team Meetings

Collective teacher efficacy is the belief that working together, we really can make a difference for students. It’s that shared sense of “We can figure this out, and together we can help students succeed.” It can grow when teachers learn from one another, solve problems together, and see the impact of their efforts over time.

Weekly meetings are a perfect opportunity for teams to implement efficacy-building routines.

Using team time to invest in these collective experiences aimed at strengthening collective teacher efficacy is a win-win with the potential to increase student achievement and improve satisfaction and career longevity for teachers.

What Builds Efficacy?

When we have those “I did it!” moments, increased efficacy is an outcome. Taking action and experiencing success strengthens our belief in our ability to do hard things—these are mastery experiences.

When we see colleagues try something and find success, we think, “If they did it, I can too!” This makes sharing successes important.

A third source of efficacy is when others believe in us: “They believe I can do it!” When we think that, social persuasion boosts our efficacy beliefs.

And finally, we need to feel safe. A positive affective state bolsters efficacy beliefs.

Routine 1: Share Successes

Sharing successes is a great place to start building collective teacher efficacy.

Here’s a routine to get started sharing successes (adapted from the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE) Success Analysis Protocol for Individuals).

• Identify a success (four minutes). All team members independently reflect on a success. Consider writing down a few notes.
• One team member describes their success (two minutes). Share a success story.
• Team asks clarifying questions (two minutes). Make sure everyone understands the basics.
• Team reflects on the success story (two minutes). Analyze the success.
• Presenter reflects on the success story (two minutes). Share any new insights.
• Team final discussion (four minutes). What did the team learn? Are there next steps for the team? How might this discussion have enacted the sources of efficacy?

For efficacy to grow, you must believe that it was your actions that caused a success. For example, it was your instructional decisions that supported student growth. Reflecting on a success helps each team member see their mastery experiences more clearly.

Learning about the success of a team member, and understanding how the success was achieved, builds the competence and confidence of the entire team. The discussion creates opportunities to express belief in each other’s ability in a positive, supportive atmosphere.

Routine 2: Problem-Solve Collaboratively

One of the most remarkable assets available to teachers is the collective expertise of their colleagues. While sharing a problem of practice requires greater vulnerability than sharing a success, it is a powerful practice for revealing and leveraging the expertise of a team.

Here’s a routine to get started problem-solving collaboratively (adapted from the CLEE Consultancy protocol).

• Identify a problem of practice (four minutes). All team members reflect on a challenge/dilemma. Consider writing down a few notes.
• One team member describes their challenge/dilemma (two minutes). Share a recent one.
• Team asks clarifying questions (two minutes). Make sure everyone understands the basics.
• Team asks probing questions (four minutes). Team asks questions that might reframe the challenge/dilemma (avoid problem-solving).
• Discussion of challenge/dilemma (four minutes). The team analyzes the challenge/dilemma and offers potential solutions or actions while the presenter listens.
• Presenter reflects on challenge/dilemma (two minutes). The presenter shares any new insights and/or how their thinking has evolved.
• Team final discussion (four minutes). What did the team learn? Are there next steps for the team? How might this discussion have enacted the sources of efficacy?

Building efficacy requires experiencing success at tasks perceived as challenging. Doing something perceived as easy does not increase a team’s efficacy. For this reason, collaborating to overcome challenges or dilemmas is a particularly strong way to foster the collective efficacy of a team.

Routine 3: Practice Peer Modeling

Peer modeling provides a powerful efficacy-building opportunity.

Here’s a routine to get started practicing peer modeling (adapted from the CLEE Person Observed as Coach protocol).

As a team, identify an area of curiosity and arrange a model—a team member could demonstrate a strategy from their success analysis through a classroom visit, a classroom video, or an in-meeting demonstration. Peer modeling also creates an opportunity to invite a specialist or instructional coach to model a strategy for the team.

• Observation (variable). Team takes observational (not evaluative) notes.
• Reflect individually and prepare questions (four minutes). What did you take from observing your colleague? What questions do you have?
• Team discussion and questions for model (10 minutes). Observers lead the conversation, focusing on their learning (do not evaluate the model). Discuss how observing a model informs the team’s sense of competence and confidence for enacting a new practice.
• Team final discussion (four minutes). What did the team learn? Are there next steps for the team? How might this discussion have enacted the sources of efficacy?

As the team observes, they build expertise and envision themselves enacting the new practice, building collective competence and confidence. Teacher teams can build their efficacy by learning together, growing their skills to match the complexity of a common challenge.

Efficacy beliefs develop over time. These routines are designed to build upon one another, starting with the most accessible option of sharing and exploring a success. Lean into these routines, and seek out or develop additional routines to foster robust collective efficacy as a team, These routines are equally effective in staff meetings and professional learning settings to enact the sources of efficacy and build collective efficacy as a whole staff.