Schools and students receive a lot of benefits when teachers collaborate. When educators share the same vision, they create an environment for more effective student learning. Sharing ideas for presenting content can result in more creative lesson plans. Teachers, especially beginning teachers, more easily avoid isolation and feel more supported when given the opportunity to collaborate with others.
It also gives teachers a great opportunity to test out new instructional methods and receive feedback on their effectiveness. So how do you make teacher collaboration a reality? Time, trust, and respect are three key ways that we found.
Teachers already have a lot of requirements on their schedule, so time has to be set aside specifically for it. Teaching is simultaneously one of the hardest and one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. We often say that students make it worth it, but there's something else that can make or break your happiness as a teacher: your colleagues. In this article, " Research Shows Teacher Collaboration Helps Raise Student Achievement ," researcher Carrie Leana writes about the missing link in school reform: teacher collaboration.
In her study of over 1, 4th and 5th grade teachers in New York City, Leana found that, "students showed higher gains in math achievement when their teachers reported frequent conversations with their peers that centered on math, and when there was a feeling of trust or closeness among teachers.
Collaboration begins with finding time to connect with colleagues, to share thoughts, and provide support. Here are 3 tips for successful collaboration:. Build Relationships: Teaching is emotionally draining, and the best colleagues can be there for you in all types of situations. A student erupted in anger? Go next door at lunch time and get a hug.
A student said a wildly funny thing in the middle of class? Pop your head into a colleague's classroom and let your laughter loose. Remember to ask your colleagues to share their trials and triumphs with you, too. Are we in the same area? Are we at the same pace? We wear many hats, and you need somebody there that really understands you, and supports you, and is there sometimes to vent to, or to ask to help problem solve.
So you have to begin making it not OK to close your door. Cunat pairs teachers by their grade, content, and strengths. When she paired Wiedegreen with Melidis, she looked not only at their teaching strengths, but also at how their personalities would complement each other. I have more of the workability energy where we just work so perfectly as a team. Once teachers begin experiencing success as a team, they start feeling connected to each other, expanding collaboration outside of their meetings and transforming the school culture.
Once the teachers convey that, the move from a culture of compliance to a culture of commitment has started. When Cunat's teachers run into issues with colliding personalities, she recommends using protocols and agendas in collaborative meetings to help overcome those challenges.
For instance, an inquiry protocol about a student work sample and the kind of thinking that had to have occurred to make it focused on students, not adult dynamics. This is always a win because teachers walk out of a meeting knowing they have done something right by kids. Protocols and agendas not only keep the focus on the students' work rather than the teachers' personalities, but they also assure that everyone is on point during their collaboration time.
They foster efficient and productive collaboration, and they help collaborators see their colleagues' value. Two minds are greater than one. When we get teachers co-planning and co-teaching based on a shared vision, here are some of the benefits we can expect:. The best part about the benefits of teacher collaboration is that they can be a reality—as they are in so many learning communities around the world.
The key is acknowledging, understanding, and working diligently to overcome the challenges and obstacles standing in the way of high-quality teacher collaboration. For many schools, teacher collaboration is unchartered territory, leaving the practice unstructured and inconsistent. 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.
Technology plays a major role in modern teacher collaboration. 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. Twitter is an amazing digital hub for educators and educational resources.
Take it a step further by participating in relevant Twitter Chats —when a group of Twitter users Tweeters? You probably already have the tools to connect with colleagues and share ideas in an online community tailored to your district or school.
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.
Have access to your LMS in these meetings as a place to create instructional content, store lesson plans and resources, and analyze student data—with the added benefit of live human interaction.
Video technology aids teacher collaboration, as well. Record lessons to use for professional development and coaching in collaborative meetings.
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