Simply put, collaboration is how people work together. When working with students, it is in everyone’s best interest to collaborate: the student, teacher, parents, and for anyone of importance in a student’s life. Teachers may easily use each other as a resource. If more assistance is needed, seek help elsewhere including from parents, guidance counselors, and outside professionals.
Presently, most educational reform calls for meaningful collaboration. In the past, working alone was considered normal. However, there is no need to struggle with class preparation, lesson plans, or management problems alone. Collaboration can quickly lead to higher achievement in the classroom, both academically and socially. Teachers should both facilitate and model collaboration for students. When teachers work together to set goals for their students, visions and expectations are set for an entire school, not just a lone classroom; therefore, behavior and academic drive increase. “Students internalize teachers’ expectations, and those affect their self-concepts, achievement motivations, levels of aspirations, classroom conduct, and interactions with teachers”
· Share knowledge among teachers and students.
· Share authority among teachers and students.
· Act as a mediator for the student.
· Use diverse thought to provide opportunities for students.
Collaboration provides more opportunities and diversity for a student’s learning. If collaborators value the goal within the framework of the problem at hand, teaching strategies and beneficial classroom management will flourish.
Friend and Cook (2007), professionals working in inclusive schools, define principal characteristics of collaboration:
1. Collaboration is voluntary.
2. Collaboration is based on parity.
3. Collaboration requires a shared goal.
4. Collaboration includes shared responsibility for key decisions.
5. Collaboration includes shared accountability for outcomes.
6. Collaboration is based on shared resources.
7. Collaboration is emergent.
8. Prerequisites for collaboration.
9. Reflection on your personal belief system.
10. Refining your interaction skills.
11. Contributing to a supportive environment.
Now, let’s take the steps to collaborate…
1. Identify the problem
2. Propose solutions AS A TEAM
3. Evaluate ideas and consider all points of view.
4. Plan specifics.
5. Implement the solution.
6. Evaluate outcomes.
· Evaluating outcomes is extremely pivotal of ensuring student success. This could take a few short days, weeks, or even a month or two to truly see if the determined solution IS actually a solution.
o If the solution is effective, continue it to maintain results.
o If the solution works, but isn’t ideal, modify the solution to better fit the situation.
o Worst case scenario, the solution is ineffective. Try something new until successful.
COLLABORATING TOWARDS BETTER BEHAVIOR
•Catch a student doing well.
•Positive reinforcement of desired behavior.
•Follow up on behavior changes.
•Develop a school wide behavior plan.
•Individual behavior support plans.
•More training on “extreme” behaviors.
•Engaging activities/high expectations.
•Predictable schedule.
•On-site specialist
•Collaboration with parents
COLLABORATING WITH PARENTS
In meeting with parents, it is of utmost importance that the teacher is prepared. The teacher should have more formal school-home communication by communicating with the parents the purpose as to why he or she, or both, is being asked to come in for a parent conference. After setting a date and time, teachers can help parents by sending home a list of questions or suggestions in a conference-preparation type flyer. Sample questions presented in “Including Students with Special Needs: A Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers” include:
1. What are your priorities for your child’s education this year?
2. What information would you like me to know that would help me better understand and instruct your child? What are your child’s learning strengths? Unique needs?
3. What are the best ways to communicate with you? Phone or voice mail? E-mail or text messages? Face to face? Written notes?
4. What questions do you have about your child’s education?
5. How could we at school help me this the most successful year ever for your child?
6. Are there any topics you want to discuss at the conference for which I might need to prepare? If so, please let me know.
7. Would you like other individuals to participate in the conference? If so, please give me a list of their names so I can invite them.
8. Would you like me to have particular school information available? If so, please let me know.
4. Monthly/bi-monthly parent meetings.
5. Involve parents in educational decisions.
6. Include positive interactions with parents!
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