The beauty of collaboration is not only the ability to tap into various perspectives and ideas, but also to share responsibility for our students’ learning. John Hayes is Deputy Headteacher at St Bernard’s RC Primary School. combats professional loneliness and frustration, participating in a PLN on a social network. It’s often also the case that it’s quite difficult to justify the short term impact and much easier to measure the impact being made in the long-term, so don’t be put off if you’re not seeing an impact of your collaborative working straightaway. Collaboration, just like any other skill, can be honed and improved upon with practice. There is no perfect guideline to follow for a successful collaboration, but by supporting each other, I believe the benefits can be endless for schools to enhance their learning experiences and professional development, and provide better progress for pupils. Between the two schools, the children worked together to create these torches and this resulted in us sending 50 torches to the school in Haiti. Collaboration is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. The Secondary School does not use the intercultural co-teacher model. Some have worked incredibly while others not so much. Video technology aids teacher collaboration, as well. Also, don’t forget about the built-in capabilities that your district’s learning management system (LMS) offers. Collaborative working provides a fantastic opportunity to share expertise and resources, whether it’s sharing school facilities or arranging joint activities. The local community can play a big role in collaboration. Success! School-community collaboration occurs when groups or agencies come together to establish an educative community. Example 2: Collaborative communication and open discussion Open discussion gives each team member an opportunity to contribute and ensures all ideas are valued and respected. Collaborate overseas Discussion is made up of dialogue intended to build consensus or make decisions. The word collaboration is not the problem; it’s our lack of doing collaboration right that is the problem. Students work in groups, but that doesn’t mean they are working well. However you choose to collaborate, take note of these effective strategies to get the best out of your efforts. 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. I want my school to be in collaboration with your school. If there's anything else we can do to help, please let us know using the contact form found via this link. As a teacher who has worked in both primary and secondary schools, I have seen first-hand the different learning techniques and methods that schools can share with each other. Want to see a blueprint for effective collaboration in education? Sneak a few minutes before or after school to check in with colleagues. School leaders in outstanding schools shouldn't fear this. By submitting this form you consent to us processing your personal data in line with our Privacy Notice. Twitter is an amazing digital hub for educators and educational resources. In collaboration, people network, communicate and cooperate. EdTech Editor, Former Department Chair and Instructional Coach, [Video] Redefining Student Success: Passion Projects and the 4 C's, 6 Tips to Extend Your Classroom to the Cloud | Part 4: Grades. It’s not just about the parents or teachers, it’s also about families, community groups, social groups, businesses and community leaders. In order for teacher collaboration to be effective, teachers should want to participate, rather than feel like they have to. Collaboration is the most complex type of relationship. Collaboration, just like any other skill, can be honed and improved upon with practice. For example, if you have an outstanding school collaborating on a project with schools who are struggling and need improvement, their headteacher might be questioning what they will get out of it. Eventually, each school-within-a-school team will be freed for a half-day's collaboration each two-and-one-half weeks throughout the school year. The more people invested in a student’s education, the better the chance that student has to be successful. Look for 5 more tips for collaboration in PLC groups in the near future on the Microsoft in Education blog. Student-To-Student & School-To-School Digital Collaboration: 30 Of The Best Digital Collaboration Tools For Students. By sourcing ideas from several people, you can leverage multiple areas of expertise. Collaboration skills include communication, emotional intelligence, and respect for the diversity of your colleagues. Record lessons to use for professional development and coaching in collaborative meetings. The learning journey never ends and by working together, some of the best ideas can come from the most unlikely of places. Ensure that the outstanding school understands the benefits to them of working with your school, not just what’s in it for you. Collaborative Learning Examples. Or collaborate with teams of teachers on other campuses via video chat applications like Google Hangouts or Zoom. Leadership Teams (Success at the Core Learning Module) 3. Am Head of Science Department, senior teacher at Mbawa secondary school in Malawi - Africa. There are many types of collaborative activities that students can complete. Collaboration is a great way to hear new ideas from colleagues to use in the classroom, especially in relation to marking, grammar and learning journeys. Read on for examples of how different schools are using technology to improve education. A school-to-school partnership approach can facilitate collaboration and allow schools to provide resources to support each other while retaining autonomy. When you hear about collaboration in school, typically you might think of general education teachers collaborating in the development of their lesson plans. The key is acknowledging, understanding, and working diligently to overcome the challenges and obstacles standing in the way of high-quality teacher collaboration. Create an account or log in to the one you haven’t used since 2013 and follow educators you admire. Having everyone together in one room not only saves resources and money, but can really help teachers to share inspiration and best practice. Watch these videos to see examples of collaborative teams in action: Teaching as a Team Sport (Video Playlist) Algebra Team: Teacher Collaboration. The partnership involves independent schools sharing their teaching facilities and resources with local primary and secondary children from disadvantaged communities to help further develop their learning. Research Questions This study addressed the following research questions in order to describe, interpret and explain collaboration in the context of an intercultural PLC comprised of teachers with many cultural differences at this private, international school in Shanghai. We set up a video call with children from both schools to work on an engineering project. 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 … 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. Collaboration is not a task to complete then move on, it’s an ever-changing, ongoing process that is only enhanced by social networks and access to new technology. 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. Let’s take a deeper look into how teacher collaboration benefits everyone involved. Strong collaborative cultures develop over time and require effort and commitment to the process. The children in Colorado were involved in making cardboard torches for an orphanage in Haiti. For example, at the end of the day give students an individual quiz based on the intended outcome of their collaborative activity. How can a school in Africa find a partner school in UK ? I gave the teachers an overview of Raspberry Pi, a credit-card sized computer, intended to promote teaching of basic computer science in schools. From Isolation to Collaboration – Trends and Forces Several societal and educational trends, including decentralization, teacher professionalism, 20 million students, educators, parents, and admins have. Comments are structured into six themes: Being proactive, Sharing expertise, Being connected, Resourcing the curriculum, Supporting … Collaboration in schools is not a big topic in the national education discussion, and that’s unfortunate, because it’s a key to effective schools. collaboration and contribution to the school improvement process. However, it is equally important for special education teachers to collaborate with general education teachers when it comes to planning for the year and helping students succeed in school. The partnership involves independent schools … Although dialogue opens doors to new possibilities, it can also open the door to conflict. Think about collaborating virtually using Google Docs, Skype, or email. Not only did this help our students to do something really positive for the orphans in Haiti, but it also meant our students could learn from and build relationships with students in Colorado – an opportunity that they will have never experienced before. Collaborate locally Schools need to be outward looking and seek opportunities to work with the local community and go out and meet local businesses. The whole community needs to support a child to help them achieve more, stay in school longer, enjoy more experiences and then perhaps later in life to give back. 5. Include the networks they can utilize to raise awareness of the needs of local children and families, and always promote and foster resource-sharing and collaboration. It requires the most resources and takes the most time to develop. I’m not talking about if they are arguing or getting along. Use this FREE independent writing packet to help your students reflect on the great moments and tough obstacles of 2020. Here are two examples of collaborative working:Example 1: Brainstorming as a group Getting together as a team to share ideas and ask questions as you move toward a decision is a great opportunity for collaboration. With an increase in school collaboration across the country, many schools are looking at ways in which they can work together to improve their educational success. Many have argued that … We've forwarded your query on to a member of our international team, who will look into this for you. While the benefits are undeniable, true collaboration is complex. I was put in contact with a teacher in Colorado, who also happened to be interested in similar activities as our school. Open Access College: Leading distance learning When chronic illness keeps students from Open Access College (OAC) from attending school, collaboration technology keeps them in class. Collaborative learning activities can help students to develop problem solving and group work skills. For many schools, teacher collaboration is unchartered territory, leaving the practice unstructured and inconsistent. The educative community is composed of a multitude of educating entities such as school, home, places of worship, the media, museums, libraries, community agencies, and businesses (Drew, 2004). Libraries are important hubs and can provide meaningful connection points outside the school gates. It wasn’t so long ago that collaboration was the new buzzword in education, but nowadays, we are seeing more and more examples of schools successfully working in unison. © 2021 Capita ESS Ltd. All rights reserved. Social Psychology of Education, 1-18. Technology plays a major role in modern teacher collaboration. When you do have everyone on the same page and working together, collaboration can be a real success. In Guidebook 1, we explored a "new" vision of learning and suggested four characteristics of successful learners: They are knowledgeable, self-determined strategic, and empathetic thinkers. 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. Whether it is a school social worker strategizing with the school nurse or a government-appointed social worker collaborating with area hospitals, there are common threads between these partnerships. The partnership came about from a mutual interest we had in 3D interspaces, which involves viewing any environment in 3D. You need to be aware of local issues, and to collaborate with schools in your area, everyone needs to be on the same page. Collaboration doesn’t only have to involve state schools either. Click here to see the webinar. It should be celebrated because competition can be healthy and can lead to raising standards across the region, which will benefit everyone. Schools will collaborate in many different ways, but in order to make a successful partnership, you need to know your children, your area and your community. Teaching Collaboration Lesson Plans UPDATE December 15, 2020: New Year Resolutions are easy to make but hard to keep. Perhaps one of the most frequently referenced examples of collaboration in education is the London Challenge, a school improvement programme started a decade ago aiming to improve low-performing schools in the capital. There are many more ways that a Professional Learning Community can use Office 365 Groups, but their greatest benefit is saving time and lowering barriers for working together. If our ultimate destination as educators is student achievement, think of teacher collaboration as the journey. Please share your own experiences of inter-school collaboration or leave a question in the comment box below. Legal Collaboration Teacher collaboration occurs when members of a learning community work together to increase student learning and achievement. Relationships between teacher value orientations, collegiality, and collaboration in school professional learning communities. At the Urban Academy in Manhattan, students participate in volunteer community service activities each Wednesday afternoon. 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. Some of the teachers had never heard of Raspberry Pi, so having that opportunity to learn about new teaching and learning concepts was key for them. Hi Msavison, many thanks for getting in touch. 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. Collaboration with the Faculty and Staff Members. With time, teachers can develop genuine collaborative teams in which they share goals, engage in mutually beneficial professional learning, use communal resources to increase student achievement, and advance their own skills, knowledge, and beliefs related to student learning. They share information, harmonize operations and activities, share resources and enhance each partner’s capacity (Gardner, 1999; Lawson, 2003; 2004: Lawson & When teachers come together to share information, resources, ideas, and expertise, learning becomes more accessible and effective for students. They all agreed that mathematics classes today are not like their own experiences in school. School improvement: effective school partnerships ... Report looking at the evidence available on collaboration and partnerships between schools and their effectiveness in … 1. a teacher explains that differentiation is part of the school's vision); 3) teaching practice in general (e.g. Here are a few strategies to set the stage for successful, high-quality teacher collaboration: Develop and Agree Upon a Shared Vision and Mutual Goals —The level of ownership teachers feel about the process determines how much time and energy they really put into collaborating. But there are five that we’ve ended up going back to time after time–tools that just make student collaboration online (and thus blended learning) that much easier. Design meaningful team roles that relate to the content and to the task. Use libraries to advocate for school-community partnerships and student learning. For example, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills has identified collaboration as one of several learning and innovation skills necessary for post-secondary education and workforce success. Collaboration with families, community members, and local organizations in planning, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives pays big dividends. Most work environments require collaboration, so these skills are essential. 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. During a staff development meeting of first-year teachers in January, Angela Smith, Joseph Lopez, and Chris Johnson met again to compare experiences. A collaboration between the faculty and staff in a school would create a culture of high student expectations, promote sharing of best practices that each member had experienced, and cultivate a sense of belonging like a community. Research indicates successful learning also involves an interaction of the learner, the materials, the teacher, and the context. You probably already have the tools to connect with colleagues and share ideas in an online community tailored to your district or school. In reply to Am Head of Science… by Msavison Ndhlovu (not verified). The category of teacher characteristics or school context included five codes: 1) collaboration (e.g. Different Definitions of Collaborative Writing "The meaning of the terms collaboration and collaborative writing are being debated, expanded, and refined; no final decision is in sight. Collaboration doesn’t only have to involve state schools either. It is also the social corporate responsibility of others to raise standards, not just within their own school, but within the community they serve. For example, I was working with a group of teachers to discuss the best way forward to support the teaching of maths in the classroom. Collaboration is similar to cooperation.Most collaboration requires leadership, [vague] although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group. As schools, we are all equal and have plenty to learn from each other. Collaboration in Today's Math Classroom. meet at a predetermined time to discuss a particular topic. The design of such strategic activities requires collaborative planning with the end in mind among grade-level teachers. Common planning time, PLCs, and PLNs are all effective methods of teacher collaboration. Education Software Solutions is a trading name of Capita ESS Ltd. They explained to our Manchester students about the components they needed and where to get them. 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. Registered office Eastwood House, Glebe Road, Chelmsford CM1 1QW and our registered number is 12595779. Collaborative working provides a fantastic opportunity to share expertise and resources, whether it’s sharing school facilities or arranging joint activities.

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