How to make children feel part of a team

They don’t know it yet but there’s strength in togetherness…

We all do better when we all do better - Paul Wellstone, former US Senator

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Academic Year 2024/25: Week 1 ✅

Anyone in teaching will tell you it’s one of the toughest weeks of the year, if not THE toughest.

And with a new year comes a new year group.

So, what are they like so far?

Last year’s children were - and I said this often - a pure dream to teach. I came into the year knowing them all having spent a year with them lower down in the school; the bigger personalities were polite and kind and had a powerful, positive influence over others; every child wanted to work hard and do well in school; academic capability was high and we had so, so much fun just being there. Constant giggles, honestly.

I knew that they might be a unique year group for all these reasons and, so, I knew this year would present more challenge - children I didn’t know, less focussed learners, bigger academic gaps, more work required on manners. In short, what you expect from 10-11 year old children. A very normal year group.

In one area, though, last year’s cohort sailed above anything I’ve seen and possibly ever will.

They all - down to the last child - celebrated each others’ successes.

This year, we have a number of children who do not get along yet. It feels as though self-preservation is a priority; they’re so preoccupied with looking after themselves that they see the successes of others as a threat.

And, if one person doesn’t like another, it’s only natural to bemoan them doing well. We’ve all been there.

But it’s not what I want for this group.

For me, this presents my biggest goal for the year - to encourage the children to champion each other, think of others first and not worry about how others doing well makes them look inferior.

And, already, we have something that might help.

Celebrate good times - come on!

Something we do every week is the Friday afternoon Celebration Assembly. This is a chance for us to have a song and dance about all the things certain children have done well through the week. The awards are:

• Headteacher’s award (for an exceptional piece of work in any subject)

• Presentation award (either personal presentation or neat schoolwork)

• Maths award

• Reading/writing award

• Sports award x2

Here they are on my PowerPoint:

I reveal them one at a time, each with a build-up and a wee speech to give them gravitas and amplify the sense of importance achieved in being awarded.

And, while we’re at it, here’s the intro slide full of celebratory gifs:

This alone gets them so stoked. Especially the minions.

Each award is given in each of the 12 classes on a Friday, meaning there are 12 of each (and 24 Sports award winners).

The goal? To encourage the children to aim higher with their work. It’s a great feeling being called up for an applause for your handwriting or your perseverance in maths or your teamwork in sports. It invokes pride of self and helps us teachers inspire the children to go a little further.

But I’ve found that it did something else this week.

Welcome to the team

This week’s Headteacher’s award winner in our class was Child A (not real name).

Child A recently moved from the Middle-East with no English. Quickly, they’ve learned to speak enough to have conversations and listen to instructions, even showing flashes of humour and outstanding personality.

However, reading is an obstacle. Because they basically can’t read in English.

It is imperative that I help them conquer this before leaving primary school because they will not have someone to champion them and support them throughout the entire day at secondary school as they will with me. Without the ability to read, the world is closed to them.

The light at the end of this dark tunnel in their future is their work ethic; Child A completes every task when asked and always asks what more work they can do when they’re done. If the rest of them were like that my job would be easy, but hey - children are children.

Child A’s provision still needs refining while we tidy up some timetable teething problems but that’ll be fixed next week. Despite this, they’ve given 100% into everything.

So, in announcing our class award winners on Friday, I did what I always do and gave a little speech for each one.

Here’s the speech, interspersed with the rest of the children’s reactions:

‘As we start the new year, there’s a lot of adjustment needed, especially from those who are new to the school - and that is not easy…’

*children look around at the four new(ish) students to the year group.

‘…and it’s especially difficult having to adapt to a new country and a new language...’

*Half the class point at Child A excitedly. Some murmur their name. Child A hasn’t yet clocked what is happening.

‘…but I have been immensely impressed with this person’s desire to always work hard.’

*Whole class now buzzing with pride for their teammate, who starts grinning with comprehension.

‘and that person - who has set a wonderful example to everyone in this room - is Child A.’

Of all the awards handed out in our class, this drew the biggest applause. Tellingly, it was the only applause that didn’t require my instigation - it was all them, pure pride and celebration for their teammate.

And in that moment I sensed a togetherness, a common desire for one individual to excel, safe in the knowledge that it didn’t stop anyone else feeling good about themselves. We all do better when we all do better.

For our class, this weekly celebration won’t just be about encouraging improved effort and higher-quality work, or giving the children pride in their efforts - these celebrations will be about invoking a sense of belonging and mutual pride as we celebrate each other’s successes. It will be the foundation stone on which our tower of togetherness shall stand.

And, from its rooftop, we will see brighter futures for us all.

So, how do you make children feel part of a team?

Give them opportunities to not only be successful but to celebrate each other’s successes. Spread the feel-good factor so that they all feel it, whether they’re the ones being celebrated or not. They’ll all get their turn.

Your turn

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See you next week!