Achieving effective group leadership

Working in a team can be difficult because of different personalities, miscommunications, and unclear roles. These issues can reduce the group's effectiveness. This course was created to teach skills that improve team efficiency and create a positive work environment. By attending this course “Effective Group Management in Education: Building Teamwork among students”, participants learned how to become better team leaders and members, useful both in classrooms and workplaces.

The course “Effective Group Management in education: building Teamwork among students” took place in Bologna from 14/07/2024 to 20/07/2024. The participants came from all across Europe, with Sónia Isabel de Sá das Neves, from Portugal, coming from the Agrupamento Escolas Professor Armando Lucena, Lili Lívia Kisparti, from Váci Bartók-Pikéthy Zeneművészeti Szakgimnázium és Zeneiskola, Alapfokú Művészeti Iskola in Hungary; and finally Sharlie Laferla coming from St. Monica School, Gzira, located in Malta.

The "Effective Group Management in Education: Building Teamwork among Students" course gave participants useful skills and knowledge over a week. Initially, participants talked about their own experiences with group management, so they could learn from each other’s previous experiences within the subject and reflect on them. Later on, they discussed the differences between a team and a group, and learnt about the stages teams go through to become effective, giving their own ideas and listening to the others.

Following this, the next session became very practical and participants learnt the importance of giving clear roles in the classroom and how to ensure everyone works well together. Through a series of group activities, participants experienced firsthand the challenges of working together when roles and tasks are unclear. This lack of clarity can lead to confusion, tension, and miscommunication. More importantly, it wastes valuable time as team members are left unsure of their responsibilities and what is expected of them. They practiced ways to make each student feel included and important in group tasks.

In the middle of the week, the focus shifted to different leadership styles, especially those identified by Daniel Goleman, proving that there is not only one way to be a referential leader but that there are different equally valid leadership styles, adopted according to the team and the specific situation. Participants explored various ways to lead and began integrating coaching skills into their teaching. They practiced being facilitators, guiding students through brainstorming and problem-solving activities. Later, related to leadership styles, the emphasis was put on emotional intelligence, with a particular focus on empathy, which is a notorious characteristic that leaders must have or train to acquire. Participants engaged in activities designed to help students to openly share their feelings in groups, fostering better connections and mutual respect. This illustrated how to create a supportive and understanding classroom environment.

Finally, the course concluded with assessments and feedback from trainer to participant, and participant to participant. A ‘wrap up’ activity was done by participants so they could review everything they had learned, helped to reflect on their progress, and discussed how to apply these new skills in their teaching. They exchanged feedback to help solidify their understanding and readiness to improve teamwork in their classrooms.

Overall, it was an excellent week filled with learning, sharing knowledge, and best practices, as well as fun! The participants left with a new set of activities and strategies that they will undoubtedly be able to use in their classrooms.

More info on this course here.