Collaboration…. often associated with ‘teamwork’

Out of the Box and Join the Circle of Collaboration

Reflections

Mutual Goals

Defined Roles

Meaningful Instruction

Planning Process

Best Practice

Positive Attributes

Shared Beliefs

Tired Instruction

Shared Accountably

Meaningful Planning

Collaborative Culture

CollaborationTeacher collaboration can be:Two teachers informally discussing a student’s progress

Cooperative planning

Long-term, regularly scheduled meetings with school stakeholders

Examining state standards, and research to overhaul curricula

One of the constants, however, when educators come together to

collaborate is the intellectual effort they put forth to better

themselves as a group to benefit their students.

Hmm…

Positive Attributes of Collaboration

Increased opportunity to interact with their colleagues in areas of difficulty

Obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources

Shared commitment in monitoring results and making adjustments when barriers and problems are identified;

Shared information and resources;

Opportunities for risk-taking, new roles, and continued learning;

Flexibility in terms of different styles and different ways to meet goals

Communication and cooperation Ability to disagree and still work

together Time and opportunity to plan and

build classroom structure Joint decision-making An increase in teacher sensitivity

to other's roles and responsibilities.

Planning Process

Planning Process

Vision: Where Do

We Want to Be?

Where Are We Now?

Identify Goals

How Do We Get There?

Review

Adjust

Renew

A clear understanding of where we have been. A methodical examination of the school

environment. A thorough assessment of the school’s mission. A clear vision of organizational goals. A process to present ways of reaching those

goals. An inclusive, collaborative process for gathering

information, ideas, opinions and intuitions on which goals and decisions are based.

A realization that planning never stops.

Planning Process

Meaningful Planning For Collaboration

“Commitment must be given to a data-driven curriculum, to clear and specific objectives, and to a mindset of deep purpose for meaningful planning and collaboration.”

Gamble, J. (2008)

Meaningful Planning For Collaboration

Collaborative planning requires

making

the time to work and learn with colleagues.

•

Develop a master schedule that includes time for shared planning time.

•

Meaningful Planning For Collaboration

Allow students to have longer instructional periods with fewer teachers through the integration and implementation of technology.

Build professional development days into the school calendar that are specifically for collaborative planning .

Ensure that meetings (whether face-to-face or digital) provide opportunities for collaborative planning.

Meaningful Planning For Collaboration

MEANINGFUL PLANNING KEEPS YOUR SCHOOL FROM BECOMING…

School-based teams use a variety of configurations as an approach for providing collaboration:

Connecting People to Information and Knowledge

Connecting People to PeopleOrganizational ImprovementKnowledge ExchangeSynchronous vs. Asynchronous

Best Practices

Diigo - a social bookmarking site available anywhere there is Internet access

Google Docs enables multiple people in different locations to work simultaneously on the same document from any computer with Internet access

Oovoo allows up to a 4 person collaborative video conference

Collaborative Tools

greater teacher retention ratesincreased teacher job satisfactionimproved student achievement

Benefits of Staff Collaboration

The proliferation of Web 2.0 tools on the web offers numerous ways of collaborating with colleagues

Web 2.0 Tools

Collaboration can occur anywhere at anytime through the use of the Internet, digital video and communication technologies.

The 21st Century Real World…

Teachers collaborate during lesson planning to personalize learning for each student.

Tiered Instruction

RolesRoles are not necessary, but may be used.Suggested roles:

Facilitator/Leader Note taker/Listener Questioner/Devil’s Advocate Harmonizer

Participants feel their presence and contribution is important to

the group.

Active Participation

TalkingAsking questionsAcknowledging and resolving conflictClear decision making processesMaking decisionsVolunteering for tasksBringing information back to the group

(scaffolding)

Active ParticipationHolding each other to commitmentsEqualizing powerNote takingFacilitation—a means to the end

Mutual Goals

People collaborate only when they share a goal

Make sure the goals are clearly defined

There must be buy-in to achieve success

Mutual goals should be concrete and attainable

Mutual Accountability

Shared Accountability

Reinforces a sense of equality

Accept responsibility for results both positive or negative

Promotes trust and individual integrity

Accountability should address the issue, not assign blame

Everyone is responsible for doing their share

Shared Accountability

Teachers’ instructional practices should support the achievement of 21st century learning expectations by:

personalizing instruction engaging students in cross disciplinary learning engaging students as active and self-directed learners emphasizing inquiry, problem solving, and higher order

thinking skillsapplying knowledge and skills to authentic tasks engaging students in self-assessment and reflection integrating technology

Shared Beliefs

Shared BeliefsTeachers have a shared responsibility for student achievement across the entire school community.

Teachers have expectations of their students and of themselves to be life-long learners.

Reflection