In order for teacher collaboration to be effective, teachers should want to participate, rather than feel like they have to. Let’s take a deeper look into how teacher collaboration benefits everyone involved. Such consultation was defined as an interactive process that enables people with diverse expertise to generate creative solutions to mutually defined problems (Idol, Paolucci-Whitcomb & … Her challenge is teaching abstract, non-tangible collaboration skills. in Strategic Communications – Technology Law & Policy Concentration, M.S. Have a question or concern about this article? Leadership, Curriculum Director, online Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership degree, Arkansas State University online MSE in Educational Leadership program. Specific types of teacher collaboration include working together in teams, sharing responsibilities, providing feedback and building trust. Chris Whetzel. It could be that some educators are unaware of the myriad benefits, or simply haven’t put the time or effort into the collaboration process. Want to see a blueprint for effective collaboration in education? In addition to the regular classroom teacher and the special education teacher, a collaborative team may also include speech, occupational, and/or physical therapists. From the delegation of tasks, teachers are also able to learn more from each other as they come back together to review and assemble their separate assignments into a cohesive lesson plan. By Ben Johnson. in Ed. I gave it my best shot, alone. Graham, 2007), and i… This type of teamwork contributes to a greater sense of trust and accountability, and it allows teachers to feel confident about contributing their most dynamic skills toward school improvement. In special education, the term "collaboration" refers to a team teaching approach. If our ultimate destination as educators is student achievement, think of teacher collaboration as the journey. 20 million students, educators, parents, and admins have. To Teachers have the opportunity to assess and differentiate instruction for students more readily and they can learn new instructional techniques from one another to expand their teaching repertoire. Effective teacher collaboration keeps the … Leadership, Special Ed. What is teacher collaboration? Common planning time, PLCs, and PLNs are all effective methods of teacher collaboration. Take it a step further by participating in relevant Twitter Chats—when a group of Twitter users (Tweeters?) B.S. When we learned that almost 30% of those administrators believe that getting their teachers to collaborate is one of their biggest challenges, we tend to wonder where the disconnect is. In professional learning communities, all teachers contribute as equals, seeking to understand and respond to what is happening for their learners. It’s a good idea to develop a conflict management plan, monitor your own emotions, and always use your professional judgment. Curriculum maps They also know how they're doing it. Teacher quality improves when teachers recognise their own expertise and feel comfortable in offering it, while also being open to accepting the advice and feedback of others. While it has historically been common for teachers to work independently, it is becoming more popular for teachers to work in teams. Teachers can connect easily online by exchanging email, sharing documents, helping to edit worksheets or even sharing funny videos. Partner teachers’ preparation is classroom-based, as they work alongside experienced mentor teachers and receive intensive coaching before teaching in the fall. Vertical collaboration generally refers to efforts to align curriculum and instructional strategies from one grade level to the next. in Media Management, Digital Management Track, M.S. Or collaborate with teams of teachers on other campuses via video chat applications like Google Hangouts or Zoom. When educators work together, they form important professional and personal relationships. This is a great way to stay connected and to develop a personal relationship with other educators in and out of the classroom. Proponents of teacher collaboration believe that teachers working together have a positive impact on each other and contribute naturally to school improvement. AMLE: Teacher Collaboration: Keys to Common Core Success. The key is acknowledging, understanding, and working diligently to overcome the challenges and obstacles standing in the way of high-quality teacher collaboration. in Digital Innovation – Graphic Communications Concentration, B.S. Teacher: As you come up with websites, just take a moment and share those with us to make sure that that’s gonna give you information that’s relevant for the project. contributed by Miriam Clifford. It it has the communication and sharing tools you need, your LMS is the perfect place to create common assessments, track student data, share resources, and keep assignments. Thank you for your interest in the Arkansas State University online newsletter. Submit the form below, and a representative will contact you to answer any questions. True collaboration is much more than just having students work with each other. Record lessons to use for professional development and coaching in collaborative meetings. Click here to see the webinar. Each model is distinct, yet they share common features. Image credit: iStockphoto. Specific types of teacher collaboration include working together in teams, sharing responsibilities, providing feedback and building trust. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, M.S. Collaboration, just like any other skill, can be honed and improved upon with practice. If teachers work in a team, they can delegate tasks according to the personality and expertise of each team member. in Strategic Communication - Social Media Mgmt. Melissa Unger teaches STEAM to first and second graders in a group-oriented, project-based classroom in Western Pennsylvania. Strong collaborative cultures develop over time and require effort and commitment to the process. Here are a few strategies to set the stage for successful, high-quality teacher collaboration: For example, if your team identifies that it is committed to building relationships with students and student learning, set goals related to that vision, discuss how to reach the goals, and assess progress regularly. Actively participating in a PLN on a social network gives you direct access to the knowledge, experience, and resources of countless educators who you may have never connected with in your immediate professional circles. Please contact us. Director, Ed.S. Co-teaching, therefore, is an example of teacher collaboration, but it is not the only way that teachers can collaborate with each other. The more people invested in a student’s education, the better the chance that student has to be successful. Privacy Policy  |  Site Map  |  Course Login. Two or more teachers allow a wider scope of ideas and concepts, provide opportunities for deeper levels of discussion and debate, … However, little is known regarding how collaboration should be shaped to realize inclusive education. They suggest that it ˝involves the distribution of responsibility among people for planning, instruction and evaluation for a classroom of students (p. 5). Teacher collaboration is therefore assumed to be a pivotal factor in realizing inclusive education (e.g., King-Sears, Janney, & Snell, 2015; Mitchell, 2014; Santoli, Sachs, Romey, & McClurg, 2008). When teachers collaborate, the interests, backgrounds and strengths of each teacher can contribute to a project. Why collaboration is important and strategies for teachers working together. Thank you for subscribing to Schoology Exchange! 09/11/2016 10/12/2016 Before we begin, it is important to define collaboration which, in its simplest, and most understandable form, is getting individuals, who may or may not have similar interests, to work together in an organized endeavor to a satisfying and most appropriate group end. These regular interactions are important in forming lasting professional and mentorship relationships. Collaborative teaching can be defined as ˝two or more people sharing responsibility for educating some or all of the students in a classroom ˛ (Villa, Thousand and Nevin, 2008, p. 5). Discussion is made up of dialogue intended to build consensus or make decisions. Twitter is an amazing digital hub for educators and educational resources. Technology now allows us to collaborate virtually via Google Docs, Trello and a number of other online sharing platforms. Collaborating means purposefully building interpersonal relationships and working towards healthy interdependence, which occurs when teachers are comfortable giving and receiving help without forfeiting accountability. When teachers feel supported, they can better extend that same support to their students. She breaks down projects and has her students sto… Collaborative Learning happens when students work together in pairs or groups: 1. In 2006, RAND researcher Cassandra Guarino and associates analyzed federal Schools and Staffing Surveys. According to the Global State of Digital Learning Survey, more than 30% of teachers, and nearly 50% of administrators report that teacher collaboration is a top priority for them. Cert. Unger’s students work collaboratively in groups from two to five on various projects. (2005) advocate to increment collaborative activities in the form of professional learning communities, stating that such collaborative communities “hold out immense, unprecedented hope for schools and the improvement of teaching” (p. 128). Collaboration helps to ensure children with Can having more than one teacher in the classroom help students learn better? The word collaboration is not the problem; it’s our lack of doing collaboration right that is the problem. Co-teaching works best when both teachers are equals in the classroom. combats professional loneliness and frustration, participating in a PLN on a social network. Today, more special education students are taught in regular classrooms, and collaboration is increasing. Collaboration among teachers is a force that positively influences the whole school community. B.S. Success! Might I suggest, if you’re a teacher doing a wonderful lesson, and only a few out of an entire classroom of students are engaged, maybe you’re still teaching in rows, and bit of real collaboration is needed. Collaboration between teachers contributes to school improvement and student success. Co-teaching (or collaborative team teaching) can involve a general education and special education teacher working together. I understand this consent is not a condition to attend A-State or to purchase any other goods or services. Originally termed "collaborative consultation," the emphasis was upon the special educator and the classroom teacher sharing information about a child so as to better plan an appropriate educational program. If you’re part of a PLC school in which educators gather regularly for in-person collaborative sessions, technology is still a tool for high-quality collaboration. The most common challenges of high-quality, effective teacher collaboration are: Despite these challenges, data proves that Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and Professional Learning Networks (PLN) are extremely effective methods of teacher collaboration that have a direct influence on student engagement and achievement, as well as growth for the educators who work with them. To connect with colleagues and share ideas in an online community tailored to your district s. Their students lower turnover rates among beginning teachers in schools with induction mentoring. 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