Page 5 - A Guide for Communication and Collaboration in the Classroom

Key Elements for Collaboration
Preparation
•Preservice Teacher Education
•Instructors of teacher education courses and
supervisors of student teaching experiences must prepare future educators to take on roles that are more collaborative and allow them to be active co- educators and participants.
•Professional Development Programs
•Professional development activities for experienced
teachers can encourage them to be more team-
oriented.
•Advanced Teacher Education Programs
•Teachers begin to accept leadership roles that help to establish collaborative school consultation.
Framework
• Structures
•Allocation of time is one of the most important
structures. While initial consultations may be informal,
other ones should be scheduled.
• Resources
•Some school districts struggle to provide the resources needed for school consultation, especially when special education teachers' caseloads are large.
• Management
•Organization of applications of consultation in multiple
situations and putting the right methods into motion is important. Management is made easier by role clarification and parity.
Delineation of role
•Role Clarification
•Roles for school consultation theed to be clarified so
that there is no ambiguity about responsibilities. •Role Parity
•Special education teachers may feel a lack of equality in their role if they move among schools
•Role Expectations
•Consulting teachers must understand what is expected
in their roles. Expectations for consultation with co- educators should be reasonable.
Commitment
• Assessment
•Assessment in school collaboration efforts is
important, however it is often minimal. Success is
more easily demonstrated with this reliable data. • Evaluation
•Formative Evaluation
•This is ongoing and guides adjustments during the
program. •Summative Evaluation
•Conducted at designated times to determine program value and whether or not it should be continued.
• Acceptance
•Those who participate in collaboration programs must
be willing as this will encourage role parity and better manage the framework of the process.