Let’s be honest, the school year looks VERY different in 2020. We have seen many interruptions which have seen many traditional classroom environments adapt and morph into something that is almost unrecognisable. There have been no school camps, no excursions and no interschool sports which are often highlights in the school calendar and highly anticipated by all. This may have left all students and teachers involved feeling a little disheartened and disconnected. Which is why NOW is the perfect time to shake it up, reunite your teachers and students, with a little totally COVID safe, totally fun, completely affordable, incursion that is team building!
Now, we have all heard the word “team building” being thrown around for quite some time. And no, I’m not just talking about a fun activity… although that is an added bonus. But rather the key outcomes that help us better communicate, interact and problem solve (just to name a few) with those around us. So how does this look specifically for teachers? How about students? What are the key benefits? And what are the best programmes to choose? Well I’m glad you asked! We figured you are all busy enough, so we have done the research and put it all together for you in one convenient location.
TEACHERS
Communication
It’s no secret that teachers are some of the BEST communicators out there. But how are your communication skills with your fellow teachers? Just like any team, sometimes things can get lost in translation, especially if others have a different communication style to us. Team Building programmes offer the opportunity to further develop our communication skills and also determine the best way to effectively communicate with your fellow teachers.
Trust
Teamwork, makes the dream work, but this wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t TRUST the other members of our team. No, we aren’t going to make you do any crazy trust exercises where you need to blindly fall into your colleagues arms and hope that they catch you; but rather create a sense of trust with your fellow teachers so that you have confidence not only in their abilities, but also in yourself.
Problem Solving
Teachers are quick on their feet and excellent problem solvers by nature, BUT how we work with our colleagues to solve a problem can be very different to a classroom setting. Team Building programmes provide teachers with the opportunity to problem solve together, learning new techniques from each other that they can not only implement in the classroom, but also in life.
Time Management
While being organised is something that we all try to do in our daily lives, the everchanging classroom structure in 2020 (thanks COVID) has provided all of us, let alone teachers, with our fair share of time management challenges. Team Building programmes, allow teachers to rethink their approach to time management through a series of fun activities, providing a fresh take on approaching tasks that will have you feeling like a time management pro in no time.
Programmes to Try
Survivor
Just like the TV show, Survivor presents challenging team activities to determine who is the ultimate survivor of your class or cohort! There are no deserted islands but many adventures and twists to test the mettle of students and teachers.
Risk Reward
Will your school team be a corporate success or apply for bankruptcy in Risk Reward? Requiring strategy, trust, teamwork and process improvement, the objective is to grow your finances through calculated risk taking and become the most profitable!
Safe Crack
Your help is needed to identify the leaders of a diamond smuggling ring. That is the case in Safe Crack! Work as a student or teacher team to sift through the evidence, uncover the combination to a safe and identify the culprits.
STUDENTS
Leadership
While we aren’t all born leaders, team building programmes provide opportunities for students to step out of their comfort zone and develop key leadership skills. Developing leadership skills will provide students with confidence to take on more responsibility not only in a classroom setting, but also outside of a school environment as well.
Resilience
Team building programs aren’t designed to be super easy and they will require some level of problem solving and chances are… the students aren’t going to get the correct answer on the first go. Now getting something incorrect can be frustrating for anyone let alone a student. However, team building programmes encourage students to band together and keep trying until they get a successful outcome. It creates resilience and encourages students to not give up, but rather approach the problem from a different angle.
Communication
As with teachers, it is important to acknowledge that each individual student has a unique communication style. Team building programmes help students recognise this not only in themselves, but also in others and assists them in identifying effective ways to communicate with the group. Once again, these skills go beyond the classroom and will equip the students with effective communication skills that they can take with them through life.
Bonding
Last, but certainly not least team building provides bonding opportunities for students. It allows them to get outside of their usual friendship groups or cliques and encourages them to interact with fellow students that they may not have interacted with otherwise. Not only might they make a new friend, but it will also expand the way they approach a problem and may introduce them to a new way of thinking too.
Programmes to Try
Mini Olympics
We have all witnessed the Olympics and marvelled at those amazing and inspirational athletes. Well here is your chance to be in your own Olympic team at school and compete for gold in our fun Mini Olympics programme.
Snapshot
You may not have a telescopic lens or patience to sit in a bush for hours but Snapshot will allow teachers and students to become paparazzi for a day. It is a fun program for an excursion or camp to hone team and creative skills!
Minute to Win it
The challenges will keep coming as teams do battle to become the Minute To Win It champions of your school. It is like being on a game show without the television cameras in this suspense-filled and engaging team building event!
ONE FINAL BONUS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ALIKE
Fun!
That’s right! We promise that incorporating a facilitated team building programme into your school provides so much fun, laughter and countless lasting memories, that you won’t even realise you have reaped the other benefits. And honestly after the year we have had in 2020, I think we could all use a little bit of fun in our lives!
Still not convinced? If you want to know more about any of the programmes mentioned or perhaps explore a few other options, we invite you have a look through our School Team Events. But we promise you, choosing a team building programme is one decision that is a guaranteed A+++!
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