Collaboration in the Classroom

 McClure, C. T. (2008). The benefits of teacher collaboration. District Administration, 44 (10), 82.

The article titled: The Benefits of Teacher Collaboration seeks to establish collaboration as a valuable asset to the classroom. The article doesn’t give a direct definition of “collaboration” but informally defines it as ‘teachers working together’. The focus of the article is primarily based on school leaders who foster collaboration between novice and veteran teachers. The key features of collaboration are distinct and vary. Collaboration is not only seen through actions, but it is a means of achieving the greater good for the classroom. It can be fostered mainly through a sense of shared responsibility between teachers. When building on collaboration in as school, the article suggests veteran teachers should be engaged in the induction of new teachers and show concern for their professional growth. The sharing of resources supporting collaborative planning, mentoring as well as classroom observations are a few of the many forms collaboration can take.
From the author’s point of view, collaboration is crucial to the classroom. The author suggests collaboration can prove beneficial not only to students but teachers as well. The basis for this suggestion is based on a study done in which researchers surveyed 452 teachers in 47 elementary schools in order to determine the extent to which they worked together and collaborated to influence school improvement, curriculum/instruction, as well as professional development. In order to determine this relationship and put it in quantitative means, researchers used reading and math achievement scores for 2,536 fourth-graders. A positive relationship was identified between teacher collaboration and the differentiation among schools and achievement scores. The author also claims teacher collaboration is beneficial to teachers as well. The article suggests teachers are more like to continue their profession in schools with an “integrated professional culture”. This includes an environment in which the needs of new teachers are recognized and they share equal responsibility for student success with veteran teachers. When teachers are part of a positive educational environment they are likely to be satisfied, which leads to higher retention rates.
According to the article collaboration can be implemented in a variety of forms. Teachers may meet in teams to review individual student’s progress against standards and work together to target areas requiring improvement. Teachers may also share planning time and gain insight into what the other is covering so that they may build lessons around that so that it can be like building blocks of knowledge for students as real life applications will be more recognizable. Collaboration is not solely limited to these areas however. My personal take on collaboration in the classroom is that is very necessary for overall success. This success is not only for individual students, but schools as a whole. Collaboration is a means of comparing new insights and finding the best fit route to ensure success in the classroom, therefore I support it.