20 Collaborative Teaching Tips

One of the areas where I have some responsibility is regarding faculty.  That can include hiring, scheduling, evaluating, and development, which is code for "enhancing instructional delivery."  Because most faculty default to teaching the way they were taught, i.e. LECTURE, I am constantly on the look out for examples and ideas for fostering a more effective pedagogy.  This is an article on teaching tips which can be used with some modification in any classroom.  College instructors will be MUCH more effective if they can realize the goal is Student LEARNING, not teaching in the traditional sense of pontificating from the lofty peak of knowledge to the beggars down below.  That may seem funny, but it is too often true.

Here is the link to the article:  20 Collaborative Teaching Tips.  Hope you enjoy it AND hope you use some of them.  Please respond back to this post if you do and share your experience.

Gratitude Challenge

My sister, Rita Stanley, recently completed a Gratitude Challenge on facebook where she was challenged to post daily for 10 days something for which she was grateful.  At the end of her challenge, she nominated me to accept the challenge.  Below are my 10 posts from facebook, although I didn't make them daily.  I did find that this challenge got me thinking about the many things for which I am truly grateful and helped me frame a perspective on my life that was helpful.

Perhaps you should start your own Gratitude Challenge through your network???

Day 1. I am grateful for the Grace of God. Without that grace I would be totally lost. I stumble along, trying, mostly, to live a life of love, but recognize that I often (daily?, hourly? every minute???) say or do things that hurt others, and sadden God. BUT HIS Grace is sufficient, and each day is new. Yes, I am so thankful and grateful for Grace that it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Blessed be the Name of the LORD forever.

Day 2 (actually post 2 - I think I will have trouble posting daily)  I'm grateful to have been raised in a Christian home by godly parents who genuinely lived their faith. They made sure we were in church each week. They raised us to be responsible, hard working, and to know the difference between right and wrong. We were spanked when we needed it, encouraged to strive to excel, and praised when we deserved it. Most importantly, they loved us and showed it in many ways. There really isn't enough that could be said for the blessings I received from, and still receive, from their influence.

Day 3 - I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to go to college, parents willing to support that decision, and the perseverance (God's grace, again) to finish. I know this may sound trivial but that decision has opened doors in my life and I truly believe what I received there has enriched me, and hopefully others along the way. One of the greatest blessings to come from that opportunity was meeting and marrying the most wonderful woman in the world. May God be praised.

Day 4 - I'm grateful for the mentors who invested in my life, many without even knowing it through their books and material, starting with my Dad and Uncles while working in construction. Ellis would say, "I've forgotten more than you'll ever know" referring to building houses, and he was right, but along the way he, Bill and my Dad taught me a lot, about building, and also about being a man. Others would include Dave Kruse, John Conley, George Lyons, Ken Hendricks, Joe Brown, Neil Strait, Harold Henderson, Ron Shape, and many others. I'm still being mentored . . . and trying to pass it on by mentoring others.

Day 5 - I'm grateful for my health. I have had more opportunity that some to know the devastating effects poor health can have upon a person, and those they love. I also know the illusory and transient nature of "good health"; that it can change in the blink of an eye and through no fault of your own. Up to this point in my life I have experienced relatively good health, praise God, and I'm thankful for that for as long as it lasts.

Day 6 - I'm grateful for the adversity which has come into my life. Actually I HATE the adversity which has come into my life, but I have discovered that it has made me a better person, and for that I am grateful. Just out of college, most acquaintances and colleagues would have included four words to describe me: arrogant, opinionated, pompous, and jerk. Now, 30+ years later I think less than half would use those four words in describing me . . . a definite improvement!! Seriously, no one likes the hard things which come into their life but God knows us well and knows what we can stand and what we are capable of becoming. I'm grateful that God has trusted me enough to allow me some valleys to go through, and I'm especially grateful that He has walked through them with me.

Day 7 - I'm grateful to have a job. Even more than that, I'm grateful to have a job that I like, where I'm proud to work, that pays well, has benefits, and allows me to pay my bills. I've been unemployed and I've been employed at jobs where I hated going to work every single day. If I had to choose, I would take employed over unemployed, but to have a job and it be a good job is truly a blessing. I am fortunate to have people to work with who I enjoy being around, a supervisor who appreciates me and shows me respect, and work that is interesting and benefits others. Thank you, God for this great blessing of work.

Day 8 - I'm grateful for friends. I wouldn't dare try to mention specific names for fear of missing someone, but I can say that I have been blessed with many friends across the years who have touched my life and made me better. In some cases we have lost touch or gone down different paths in others we see each other rarely but when we do it is always as if we had never been apart. All of life can be reduced to relationships and I have been truly enriched by the friends who have shared themselves with me, for this I am grateful.

Day 9 - I'm grateful for family. I have practically perfect parents, simply super siblings (Ron & Pam, Rita & Trevor), nice nephews and nieces & their families, and ideal in-laws. I am grateful for each one. We've been a part of each others lives for decades now and I am blessed by each one. I'm grateful for my darling daughter, Erika Kathleen Upchurch, who is a constant delight, for sons who are both serious and silly upon occasion but always super: Richard Upchurch (with great girlfriend Morgan Alcorn) & Brandon Upchurch (with wonderful wife, Karen).  It is said you don't get to choose your family and I suppose that is true, but if I did get to choose, this is the family I would choose.

Day 10 - I'm grateful for my wife, Mary Margaret. We met on the first day I started at Olivet Nazarene College (now University) in September 1974. We didn't immediately hit it off but that soon changed. Now we've been married 38 years. MM is my best friend. Her love for me is unwavering, she supports me completely, and has gladly joined me as we have moved around the country all with the patience of a saint. I am blessed that God brought her into my life.

Scaling Up Excellence - Chapter 7

Here are some selected quotes from Chapter 7 of Scaling Up Excellence by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao.  What you are not getting by just reading these quotes are the real life stories and examples which brings the principles to life. I know you would enjoy reading the stories and examples that go with these principles.  This chapter was worth the price of the whole book and if you could read only one chapter, this would be the one I would recommend.

Chapter 7 - Bad is Stronger Than Good: Clearing the Way for Excellence

"Destructive behaviors of just about ever stripe - selfishness, nastiness, anxiety, laziness, dishonesty, for example - pack a bigger wallop than constructive behaviors.  That may seem unfair.  But leaders and teams in organizations that scale effectively realize that, to clear the way for spreading and sustaining something good, they've got to take out the bad and keep it out. p. 220,221

"...bad events have a stronger, more lasting impact than good ones and that negative actions and feelings are more contagious than positive...." p. 221

"The researchers discovered that negative interactions with bosses and coworkers had a five times greater impact on their moods than positive interactions." p. 222

"Several factors help explain why people who witness bad behavior in organizations and elsewhere don't move to stop it - and shed light on how to encourage them to intervene.  Ambiguity is the first reason.  Subsequent studies show that, even in situations that may seem dangerous or destructive to casual observers, witnesses are often unsure whether events are bad enough to warrant intervention." p. 224,225

"The lesson is, to stop destructive behavior in organizations, you've got to remove any doubt among witnesses that the words and eeds in question are indeed, very bad." p. 225

"The second factor is what Darley and Latane` called 'diffusion of responsibility' - even though bystanders may recognize a situation as bad, with so many others around, surely someone else will do the right thing (or has done so already)." p. 225

"The third factor is that, because no one else is helping, people may worry that other witnesses may disapprove if they jump and do what they believe is right."  po. 225

"...the outcome of spreading excellence depends on a process that enables people to prevent and eliminate destructive attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors." p.230

8 Methods for scaling teams can use for 'breaking bad'

1.  Nip it in the Bud

"A host of studies confirm that it is best to nip bad behavior in the bud."  p. 231

"...clearing the way for excellence in organizations depends on being a stickler about stamping out destructive behavior.  If you look the other way or decide that some small violation isn't worth dealing with thing, things can quickly degenerate." p. 231

"... at times you've got to give employees negative feedback and you may need to fire or lay people off - but 'there is a difference between what you do and how you do it.' The best bosses nip bad behavior in the bud but treat people with dignity in the process." p. 232

2.  Get Rid of the Bad Apples

"...the best leaders and teams act quickly and decisively to remove destructive characters when lesser measures fail.  And one of the most reliable ways to eradicate a destructive mindset is to remove the bad apples." p. 233

3.  Plumbing before Poetry

"The theory suggests that getting people to focus on the small, mundane, and sometimes gritty details of organizational life is an effective path for eliminating the negative.  In March's lingo, you'd better fix the plumbing before you start spouting out poetry." p. 237

4.  Adequacy Before Excellence

"before we labor to spread something marvelous - the first order of business hould be to drive out bad behavior." p. 239

"CEB's surveys of over seventy-five thousand customers revealed that most aren't looking for over-the-top service; they enjoy it when it happens, but what drives them away - and really hurts companies - is bad service." p. 240

5.  Use the Cool Kids (and Adults) to Define and Squelch Bad Behavior

"...the kinds of people that you recruit for a scaling effort, and when you recruit them, have a big impact on success." p. 241

"an effective way o eliminate the negative is to recruit the most admired and connected people in your organization, teach them what 'bad' looks like, and encourage them to stop being perpetrators." p. 243

6.  Kill the Thrill

"...finding ways to reduce such thrills, and replace them with more constructive ones, is a tough but rewarding challenge. p. 246,247

7.  Time Shifting: From Current to Future Selves

8.  Focus on the Best Times, The Worst Times, and the End.

"Daniel Kahneman's 'peak-end rule':  no matter how good or bad an experience is, or how long it lasts, judgements about it are shaped disproportionally by the best and worst moments and if it ended well or badly." p.249

Warning Signs: Five Dangerous Feelings.

"The first dangerous feeling is fear of taking responsibility, especially the sense that it is safer to do nothing, or something bad, than the right thing." p. 251

"The second bd feeling is the fear of being ostracized, or socially excluded." p. 253

" the third dangerous feeling is anonymity.  That feeling that on one is watching you very closely, so you can do whatever you want - be selfish, dishonest, unpleasant, free-riding, or a bit careless about your work." p 254

"The fourth waring sign is feelings of injustice.  Numerous studies show that when people feel as if they are getting a raw deal from their boss or employer they give less in return; bad behavior runs rampant; and effort, efficiency, quality, civility, and other excellence metrics plummet." p. 256

"The fifth dangerous feeling is helplessness.  When people believe that they are powerless to stop bad forces and events, they shirk responsibility, fail to act, lay low, and hide." p. 257
 

 

Scaling Up Excellence - Chapter 6

Here are some selected quotes from Chapter 6 of Scaling Up Excellence by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao.  What you are not getting by just reading these quotes are the real life stories and examples which brings the principles to life. I know you would enjoy reading the stories and examples that go with these principles.

Chapter 6 - Connect People and Cascade Excellence: Using Social Bonds to Spread the Right Mindset

"Ignorance, mediocrity, and mistakes run rampant when organizations fail to link the right people to the right information at the right time.  This is true even when everyone involved has the best of intentions and even when someone somewhere knows exactly what to do (but no one has figured out how to get the information to those who need it)" p. 174

"...scaling hinges on discovering (or creating) pockets of excellence and connecting the people who have it and their ideas and expertise to others." p. 175

"...some leaders believe - or pretend to believe - that just by spreading a thin coat of something good, deep pockets of excellence will somehow magically form.  but the connect-and-cascade process doesn't work that way." p. 182

"Scaling is sometimes led by teams that have limited skill or experience with what they spread - and sometimes on one in their network is very adept at it either.  Yet, as the scaling team nd the groups and units that hey help gain more experience, true excellence can emerge." p. 182

"Studies of persuasion and social networks suggest that starting with a diverse group proels scaling for other reasons.  Such breadth means that a team is linked to more 'nodes' in the organizations's network" to the varied departments, locations, functions, and levels of the pecking order where each member is stationed, as well as to their numerous (and often nonoverlapping) informal friendships, groups, and affiliations." p.. 183

"Scaling stalls when you start with a bunch of clones.  Early on, you need a team with different, largely nonoverlapping, connections so that when they flock back together with others like them they will influence more parts of the network." p. 185

"Over 80 percent of women who own businesses in the United States were Girl Scouts, as were nearly 60 percent of current female U.S. congressional representatives and 70 percent of female senators.  Almost every female U.S. astronaut who has flown in space was a Girl Scout, as were all three U.S. female secretaries of state, and all five female governors of U.S. states in 2013."  p. 192

"Scaling doesn't succeed until the networks you build are buzzing with constructive actions that reflect and reinforce the goodness that you aim to spread.  In this spirit, we offer seven tools for 'making nets work.'" p.198

1.  The Top-Down Approach

"Hierarchies come in handy for creating a domino chain reaction that starts from the top and cascades down the pecking order." p. 199

2.  Broadcast Your Message Out to One and All

3.  Surround Them:  Have the Many Teach the Few

"One of the most effective - jif inefficient - ways to spread new behaviors and beliefs is to take one person, or a small team, and embed them among large numbers of people who already eat, live and breathe the mindset that you want them to embrace." p. ,

4.  One on One: The Power of Pairs

"Pairings are also critical for spreading change: not just for teaching new ideas and skills but also for persuading others to support and smooth implementation.  A key challenge in using this approach is figuring who is best paired with whom." p. 202,203

5.  From the Few to the Many

"This is the classic scaling strategy: a group of determined people bands together and labors to slowly spread their mindset, and associated actions and skills, throughout an organization or other network." p .204

"...successful scaling depends on never forgetting that you are fighting a groud war raterh than an air war.  The few must use their grit and skill to teach and convert others, who, in turn, start the domino chain of goodness in motion." p. 205

6.  Brokers: Bridging Disconnected Islands

"When a pocket of people have got something good, but no path connects them and their knowledge to others who need it, excellence can't spread."  "This is where people and groups called 'brokers' or 'knowledge brokers' come in - they become bridges between otherwise disconnected people groups, or organizations." p. 206

7.  Create Crossroads Where People Connect

"When it comes to scaling excellence in and across organizations, bazaarlike settings enable people to build new connections and strengthen old ones - largely through one-on-one interactions." p. 210

Create a Common Heartbeat

"Recent studies show that when people share rhythms with others they develop stronger emotional bonds and are more likely to pitch in for the common good." p. 212

"The key lesson is that scaling is propelled by leaders who think and act like 'connectors.' A big part of this role involves exposing or creating links that ought to be made for the greater good.  Many scaling veterans are adept at asking questions that reveal missing or weak links, which sets the stage for building stronger networks." p.215

"'confirmation,' the tendency to trust remember, and act only on information that supports what you already believe.  Confirmation bias is fueled when they reward subordinates and peers who flatter them, skew the data to confirm their views, screen out messengers and messages that deliver news they don't want to hear - and ridicule and punish people who present them with uncomfortable truths they don't want to accept." p.218