(image retrieved from www.linkedin.com)
We want our teachers to collaborate, and we know from experience and from what we read that this will take time and a lot of energy. We know the benefits will outweigh the challenges however we also know that our teachers are already overloaded working really hard to provide the best learning opportunities they can.
Can we really expect them to keep on taking on more and more?
Thanks to some non contact time and to critical friends I have had some really healthy discussions over the last couple of weeks - discussions that have challenged my thinking about how we can provide for our teachers so that we are not expecting more and more without giving back or providing time.
These discussions that really challenge you and make you uncomfortable are those that end up causing a shift in thinking and positive change. I go away from the discussions wanting to read more and more on the subject to clarify my thinking and continually try to problem solve or think differently to find a solution.
Prioritising Student Learning: Rethinking Time, Space and Money
This article really challenges school leaders in relation to rethinking time, space and money. While this article doesn't have the solutions for us at St Francis of Assisi as it is an personalized International Baccalaureate school running a very different programme, it is a very good example of where school leaders have been thinking outside the box and have looked for ways of rethinking their time, spaces and money.
Collaborative Planning: Integrating Curriculum Across Subjects
This article really challenges us to not only to find the time for teachers to collaborate but also to ensure there is a budget for collaboration.
"You have to provide the structure for collaboration; that's essential,” states Emmons. “You can't have collaboration if teachers don't have time to collaborate." (Edutopia, 2016)
"As a principal, you need to encourage and recognize your teachers for collaborating. To create an atmosphere where your teachers feel encouraged to try new things -- in addition to time -- it's also important to provide them with a budget, advises Emmons." (Edutopia, 2016)
"As a principal, you need to encourage and recognize your teachers for collaborating. To create an atmosphere where your teachers feel encouraged to try new things -- in addition to time -- it's also important to provide them with a budget, advises Emmons." (Edutopia, 2016)
Teacher Collaboration: Matching Complementary Strengths
"Making time for that collaboration is often a burden that falls to the school's leadership. Mary Beth Cunat, Wildwood's principal, plays a large role in scheduling time for teachers. "A principal must do what it takes to remove the obstacle of 'too much to do' and 'not enough time,'" says Cunat." (Edutopia, 2015)
Cunat offers other ideas to find time to support collaboration in schools as well.
So where to from here...
Creating time for teachers to collaborate... There is a real tension between giving teachers time to collaborate and ensuring minimal disruption in teaching programmes. Finding that balance is not easy. Teachers already get Classroom Release Time (CRT) the equivalent of two days a term to use for planning, preparation, professional development (PD) and more. Two days is not that much but already we get the call from some parents that their child's teacher seems to be out of the classroom "all the time".
We know that time for collaboration, courses, preparation does make for improved practice however we need to find a way to do this that will cause the least amount of disruption for our students who are and should be at the centre of all of this.
How do other schools manage this?
Does your school make space for teachers to collaborate?
Does your school make space for teachers to engage in deep conversations about teaching and learning?
Where and when do your best conversations with colleagues take place?
Fantastic reflection and questions Jo. How do we make collaboration happen without interfering with teacher time in front of the class? Interesting question. The one constant in education is change. We seem to continually 'stuff' new ways of teaching in at the top but rarely does anything drop out the bottom to make room for a new way of 'doing.' So maybe we are looking at it the wrong way. Maybe we should look at it from the bottom and see what we can drop off/remove to make more room at the top for innovation that does not take time away from face to face teaching. The challenge will be to decide what to drop off, justifying it and just going for it. Let's start cleaning out the educational cupboard to make room for more meaningful collaboration.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above sentiments and have always embraced any opportunity to have professional dialogue during class time. I know how much easier it seems to be to focus when on release from the coal face. I also agree that the amount of time just talking that is required when heading down the collaboration road, is mammoth. So many conversations are 'just in time' ones where the team has a quick huddle at the beginning of a break and tweak something that has just occurred to them. There is a danger in this that everyone in the team may not get the same message, but they do seem to be inevitable conversations in the early days of collaboration. As a leader I struggled to stem the flow at times in order to be able to give a new trial due attention. So yes, thinking and talking time during the class day would be gold. I know well how much more head space and energy I had at the end of a CRT day than a teaching day. That all being said, we do need to remember that we are professionals and we are not in an 8:30 - 3:30 job. Meetings are a part and parcel of the job that we do.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and lots to think about here. Many schools are of different thoughts. I have done PD with schools that provide release for these exact discussions. I'm not sure that the best time for these discussions are after school in a team meeting that deals with students welfare and the everyday running of the hub. These meetings go late, and the everyday running becomes the priority in the meeting. If we value this as an important part of our culture, can we ask our BOT to support/fund this? I know of schools that offer half a day a week for each team or half a day a fortnight. That is solely for collaborative discussions but also for visits and breaking down of observations. There are times in the week that leads itself better to have relievers. I think this is money well spent but no school has an endless supply of money. Lots to think about.
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