Skip to main content

Building and Integrating Effective Teams in the Classroom: Beyond Group Work

Building and Integrating Effective Teams in the Classroom: Beyond Group Work

Are you ready to move beyond traditional group work and unlock the true potential of student collaboration? Join us for an interactive and practical session focused on creating high-functioning classroom teams that thrive throughout the school year. This isn’t about project work; it is all about regular routines and teaming.
In this session, we’ll explore the essential conditions needed to build and sustain effective student teams, with a strong emphasis on intentional classroom culture, clear team roles, and structures that promote accountability and engagement. Rather than treating teamwork as an occasional strategy, we’ll show you how to weave it seamlessly into your daily instruction. Let’s make collaboration a natural and powerful part of your teaching routine.

Implementing 101
Mindy Province

Mindy Province

Mindy Province is an IE Faculty Coach. She has been working with students in a variety of areas for over twenty-five years and is passionate about supporting others to design and facilitate rigorous core instruction. Mindy earned a B.S in Elementary Education from West Virginia University and an M.Ed. in Technologies Enhanced Learning with a focus on Training and Development from Seton Hill University. While in the classroom, she was recognized as a high impact teacher by the State of Florida and worked at the state demonstration school for technology for several years.

Mindy has diverse experience with varying populations and has experience with teaching multiple subjects throughout the years and coaching in elementary and middle schools. She holds an active teaching certificate in Elementary Education, Middle and High School English along with other endorsements.

In addition to public education, she found many rewards while working with children on the Autism spectrum as she was as a Behavioral Specialist. With this role, she created and managed programs to support the special needs of students so they could positively integrate with peers in school and in their community.

In each placement, she thrived knowing that change and growth are possible for all, and this is just one reason she feels passionately about helping others through the coaching process. She believes all students deserve a chance to succeed in public education and knows they can through standards-based instruction and efficient practices. She is passionate about the IE mission to support students with rigorous core instruction and equity for all.

Melissa Dolecek

Melissa Dolecek

Melissa Dolecek is a Faculty Coach with Instructional Empowerment. She has over 18 years of experience in elementary and secondary education in Denver, Colorado. Within her years of work in the north metro area, Melissa has improved instructional systems by providing professional development at the district, department and teacher levels through her knowledge of standards based education. Her experience leading Professional Learning Communities has direct results in closing the achievement gap. Melissa also has experience working to align a variety of curriculum to Tier 1 best instructional practices with a direct focus on data collection and analysis.

Before joining Instructional Empowerment, Melissa was in the Adams 14 District in Commerce City, Colorado as a teacher, department lead, district presenter and instructional coach. Her education includes a MA of Education from the University of Colorado, Denver in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Teacher of Reading. She also holds a certificate of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education from Regis University, Denver. Her focus with Instructional Empowerment is to provide coaching around best Tier 1 instruction in order to close the educational achievement gap.

Session Details

Grade Level: Early Childhood;Elementary;Middle School;High School;

Audience: Classroom Teacher;Instructional Coach;School Leader

Difficulty Level: Intermediate