Shared understanding is powerful. When staff members have shared understanding, they move forward together. Why? Because they understand what an idea means and what it looks like in practice.
 
Question: How can you help your staff develop shared understanding?
 
Answer:

1. Set the stage.
2. Identify what you want to develop shared understanding on.
3. Ask questions to provoke reflection.
4. Generate discussion.
5. Document a summary of the discussion and distribute it.

Here’s what happened at this morning’s teacher meeting at CAJ:
(1) Set the stage: The principal, Anda Foxwell, led a devotional in the importance of teaching children (Deuteronomy 1: 6; 4:9; 11:18–20).
 
(2) Identify what you want to develop shared understanding on: “Parents assume the primary responsibility for their children’s education, with CAJ assisting them in providing Christian education” (CAJ Philosophy Statement).
 
(3) Ask questions to provoke reflection: Anda asked:

• What are the implications of each phrase?
• What does is mean that we do and don’t do? 
• What are the specific ways that we carry out this statement?

(4) Generate discussion: Anda had teachers get in small groups to examine the statement and respond to the questions. She walked around, listening in on the discussion.
 
(5) Document a summary of the discussion (and distribute it), for example:

• Implications: God is at the center of education. Parents, students, and teachers need to communicate. Parents can’t just pay a fee and leave the students to the school—parents, not teachers, are responsible for the child. We need to be clear on what kind of education CAJ provides so parents know how we assist them and don’t assist them—this is especially important, given the cultural diversity of our community. We offer a certain type of education, and we need to be open about what we can and cannot provide.
• We do this: We communicate with parents.
• We don’t do this: We don’t assume the primary responsibility for a child’s education—that’s the parents’ responsibility.
• Ways that we carry out this statement: Back-to-School Day, posting grades and assignments online, report cards, parent/teacher conferences, student-led conferences, parents making final determination regarding AP courses and co-curricular participation

Develop shared understanding. Today.