Last school year, we launched Innovation Teams, or I-Teams, following the 2022 Summer Institute. The goal was to bring like-minded educators together to support and innovate teaching practice. Close to 50 educators participated in eight, different I-Teams in 2022-2023.
By definition, I-Teams are socially-driven learning communities, or communities of practice, organized by interest-based topics in teaching and leadership. On their website, Wenger-Trayner explain communities of practice as “people who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.” I-Teams are engaging, inspiring, and interactive, so each participant is able to gain new ideas about the topic or to make progress toward a professional goal. And now, educators have the opportunity to join an I-Team for 2023-2024!
In 2022-2023, I-Teams met monthly between November and April on virtual calls. Facilitators helped create goals, kept the group’s momentum going, offered resources, and fostered ‘Yes, and thinking.’ Some of the topics included: outdoor education, therapy dogs, PBL, and service-learning. Reflecting on her I-Teams experience, Catrina Madden, a fourth-grade teacher at Tallmadge City Schools said,
“[I-Teams] validated our thinking, provided individual guidance, and created connections among our group.”
Innovation in the classroom is possible with I-Teams because they’re powered by human connections. Teachers replenish their courage to learn and lead, to innovate, and to create the learning experiences we envision for our schools. CEU certificates are available.
I-Teams are back in 2023-2024! Please consider joining with the link below!
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