Why Team Building Matters and How to Develop Essential Team Skills in Your Students

Start with Team Building

As the academic year progresses, focusing solely on academic achievements is tempting. However, one of the most important factors that will help you and your students overcome challenges, stay motivated, and remain committed is something beyond individual skills—it's the strength of the team. Building a sense of belonging and teamwork isn't just important for academic success but also for personal well-being and future success in any field. The key is to help your students develop the ability to adapt to different situations and work effectively with others. The Power of Belonging

In my work with school dropouts over the past two years, I’ve become increasingly convinced of the power of belonging to a group, even if the group members aren’t necessarily close friends. John Dewey was right when he emphasized the importance of interaction with our environment. This interaction, which includes substantial discussion during learning processes, helps students learn how to articulate their ideas and, most importantly, fosters the development of the "I know myself"-skill. Dewey’s insights are supported by publications from the Finnish National Agency for Education, which highlight that one of the most critical pillars of student attachment to school is the presence of friends.

This brings us to a crucial question: What kind of future collaborators and team players do we want to cultivate? Think about your own work environment. Who are the coworkers you trust, and who gives you that extra boost of positive energy when you need it? Now, compare their skills with the following list: 1) The Skill of Enlargement

A team player who can uplift others is the most valuable asset any team or organization can have. These individuals make others better, and everyone knows it. We can call them multipliers because they believe in others before those people believe in themselves. When we pay attention to others and give them the chance to develop their skills, the group begins to understand that working together makes them stronger than they are individually. This is the path to true team cohesion.

How to implement this: Create group activities where students must rely on each other’s strengths. Praise and highlight instances where students help each other succeed, reinforcing the idea that lifting others up benefits the whole team.

2) The Skill of Commitment

Emotions go up and down, but commitment is a matter of character, especially during challenging times. How can we cultivate this skill in our groups? The answer lies in the environment and mindset that you, as a teacher or leader, create. The harder you work, the harder it is to give up. However, hard work doesn’t just mean sitting quietly and completing textbook tasks. It’s about setting high standards for work quality, maintaining those standards, and supporting individuals in developing their self-regulation skills. In education, the primary task of any educator is to make learning relevant to students’ lives, linking academic commitment to both personal and group values.

How to implement this: Set clear expectations and high standards for work quality. Use real-world problems and projects that connect to students' interests, making the work personally meaningful and therefore easier to commit to.

3) The Skill of Communication

Do you want your group to be collaborative or merely cooperative? We’ve all experienced meetings where everyone is polite and agreeable, but once the meeting is over, we realize that the group didn’t truly agree or commit. This happens when a group cooperates but doesn’t collaborate. Cooperation is about working together agreeably, while collaboration involves active engagement, challenging each other, and contributing meaningfully to the team. To foster collaboration, we need to develop skills in active listening, idea formulation, and understanding the power of language. These skills can’t be fully learned through individual learning alone; they must be practiced in group activities where discussion and collaboration are central.

How to implement this: Encourage open discussions and debates where students must listen to each other and build on each other’s ideas. Create projects where students must collaborate, not just cooperate, to achieve a common goal.

4) The Skill of Discipline

Discipline is a key indicator of success in any area of life, from maintaining physical and emotional health to achieving professional growth. Discipline involves doing what you don’t want to do but must do to improve your skills. Across different fields and definitions of success, one theme consistently emerges: the secret to success is managing daily operations without compromise— this skill is what we often refer to as "grit."

Within the academic environment, it is crucial to communicate to students that discipline goes beyond just following rules; it includes a consistent dedication to personal development, whether in academics, personal growth, or group projects. As educators, our role is to help students understand that discipline is about long-term growth and the pursuit of excellence. This process begins with a genuine encounter where social and emotional practices are at the core of the group’s culture. Together, the teacher and students set high standards while ensuring that every individual feels valued and capable of reaching their potential. How to implement this: Begin by helping students set realistic but challenging goals. Teach them to break these goals down into manageable steps, and encourage them to track their progress. Create an environment where perseverance is celebrated, and where students understand that setbacks are a natural part of the learning process. Through structured routines and reflective practices, help them build the self-discipline needed to succeed not just in school, but in life.

At the end of the day

Building a strong, cohesive team is not just about academic success—it’s about preparing students for life. By focusing on skills like enlargement, commitment, communication, and discipline, you can help your students become resilient, collaborative, and motivated individuals. These are the qualities that will not only carry them through school but will also equip them to thrive in whatever path they choose. As educators, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the future by fostering these essential team skills in our students.