Handouts are available below

Big Idea

It’s important to build a good culture with our colleagues in our workplace because a good culture not only makes our work more enjoyable but it also helps us be more productive together. For example, whenever there’s a change in how we do things at school – whether it’s how we assess students or the material we teach – we need to do this together. In his book, The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle cites research studies that support the conclusion that fostering a sense of belonging is a better predictor of group success than the content and information transferred within the group.

This is true for students as well. In his book, Grading for Equity, Joe Feldman mentions the importance for students to feel a sense of belonging by stating that “students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.

Super Crossword Activity

To foster a sense of belonging for my students and among staff at my school, I got them to help me create a Super Crossword. I created crosswords for students in each of my classes. And, I used the same activity with staff at the start of a Pro-D day. People got to share a bit about themselves (and I think everyone loves to talk about themselves – especially in the positive). People learned some fun facts about each other. And, it was an easy way for people to open up and be part of something together.

To do this with my staff or students, I first set up a Google Form with two questions: (1) What’s your name, and (2) what is something most people don’t know about you? Then, I had teachers answer the question at the opening of our pro-d day. Next, I took the responses and entered the information onto an online crossword generator. A few seconds later, I got a crossword puzzle with nearly 60 responses – all from my staff members. And, some of the stuff on this crossword is fun to read about even if you don’t know who the person may be. For example, I found out that one of my administrators volunteered at a panda sanctuary in China, that one colleague brought guinea pigs to guinea pig shows (sort of like dog shows but for guinea pigs) and that one colleague beat Michael Buble in a talent show some years back.

I’ve also received a lot of positive feedback from staff after they received a copy of the crossword. Specifically, that they love having things to talk about with other colleagues and learning more about each other. Note: I help colleagues get started with their crosswords by sending out a few clues each day. If you have a large staff, then mail out a list of staff members as well.

If you’ve tried or am trying this with your colleagues, please email me and let me know! 

Thanks for reading, and we’ll talk science again soon.

Resources

Handout(s): Make a Staff Super Crossword

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