By Oregbesan Julius Gbenga

Collaboration is the process of two or more people or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. In its applied sense, collaboration is a purposeful relationship in which all parties strategically choose to cooperate in order to accomplish a shared outcome.

• Collaboration is a working practice whereby individuals work together to a common purpose to achieve business benefit. 
• Collaboration enables individuals to work together to achieve a defined and common business purpose

Collaboration at the conceptual level, involves:

• Awareness – We become part of a working entity with a shared purpose
• Motivation – We drive to gain consensus in problem solving or development
• Self-synchronization – We decide as individuals when things need to happen
• Participation – We participate in collaboration and we expect others to participate
• Mediation – We negotiate and we collaborate together and find a middle point
• Reciprocity – We share and we expect sharing in return through reciprocity
• Reflection – We think and we consider alternatives
• Engagement – We proactively engage rather than wait and see

Teacher Collaboration

Teacher collaboration occurs when members of a learning community work together to increase student learning and achievement. If our ultimate destination as educators is student achievement, think of teacher collaboration as the journey. Collaboration is not a task to complete then move on, it’s an ever-changing, on-going process that is only enhanced by social networks and access to new technology.

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. The more people invested in a student’s education, the better the chance that student has to be successful.

So, why is it that effective collaboration among teachers is not happening in any formalized or regular way despite the obvious benefits? 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.

Benefits of Teacher Collaboration

When teachers come together to share information, resources, ideas, and expertise, learning becomes more accessible and effective for students. Collaborating means purposefully building interpersonal relationships and working towards healthy interdependence, which occurs when teachers are comfortable giving and receiving help without forfeiting accountability.

When we get teachers co-planning and co-teaching based on a shared vision, here are some of the benefits we can expect:

Increased Academic Effort

Since teachers who collaborate on instruction are all on the same page, they can increase the level of academic rigour to match the core competencies they want students to meet.

Increased Understanding of Student Data

Teachers are better equipped to deconstruct relevant data (and implement effective solutions) from both formative and summative assessments. They also have a sense of shared responsibility for celebrating success and analysing failure.

More Creative Lesson Plans

When teachers communicate and share ideas, they also share an enlarged repertoire of instructional strategies that encourage creative instruction. Colleagues may be influenced to try different approaches or have opportunities to help a peer with a new approach.  

Less Teacher Isolation

While teachers should not feel forced to collaborate to avoid any “contrived congeniality,” having the opportunity to share ideas and information combats professional loneliness and frustration which improves staff morale and professional satisfaction.

Challenges of Effective Teacher Collaboration

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. 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.

The most common challenges of high-quality, effective teacher collaboration are:

Lack of a True Professional Learning Community (PLC)

PLCs are a powerful tool in education and school reform. Without a commitment to the PLC process, teacher collaboration can seem forced and challenging.

Lack of Planning, Collaboration, or Reflection Time

Many teachers and administrators feel like there are not enough hours in the school day. The most common challenge of effective collaboration is a lack of time to focus on working together. While this reason may occasionally be used to mask other issues—like personality conflicts or fear of judgment—it is still worth noting that planning time is a valuable resource for educators that should be embedded in their teaching responsibilities.

Personality Conflicts and Territoriality

Collaborative groups are comprised of multiple personalities and unique belief systems which can lead to unproductive experiences.

The Role of Technology in Teacher Collaboration

Technology plays a major role in modern teacher 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.

Twitter (now X) is an amazing digital hub for educators and educational resources. Create an account or log in to the one you haven’t used since 2013 and follow educators you admire. Take it a step further by participating in relevant Twitter Chats—when a group of Twitter users (Tweeters?) meet at a predetermined time to discuss a particular topic.

Video technology aids teacher collaboration, as well. Record lessons to use for professional development and coaching in collaborative meetings. Or collaborate with teams of teachers on other campuses via video chat applications like Google Hangouts or Zoom.

Effective Teacher Collaboration Strategies

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. Having a shared vision and mutual goals can lead to the buy-in required for teachers to have a genuine sense of ownership. For example, if your team identifies that it is committed to building relationships with students and student learning, set goals related to that vision, discuss how to reach the goals, and assess progress regularly.

Foster a Sense of Community

Collaboration is all about building relationships. Taking the time to get to know your colleagues and relate on a personal level develops a greater sense of respect and trust. Like any relationship, collaborative teams take time to develop and increase in strength and productivity over time.

Establish Group Norms and Expectation

Unfortunately, collaboration can be stressful and uncomfortable at times. Educators are typically passionate about their work and beliefs which causes us to be vulnerable in groups of people who know our strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to develop a culture of trust, respect, and humility for everyone to thrive. Your team should delegate roles and responsibilities, as well as protocols for communication and time management.

Leverage Discussion to Work Through Conflicts

Dialogue can actually lead to deep professional learning for educators as they explore new ideas for teaching. Dialogue requires active listening, a willingness to share ideas, and a belief in the power of communication. Discussion is made up of dialogue intended to build consensus or make decisions. Although dialogue opens doors to new possibilities, it can also open the door to conflict. It’s a good idea to develop a conflict management plan, monitor your own emotions, and always use your professional judgment.

Tips for successful collaboration

Understanding and committing to achieving the goals

The team understands the goals and is committed to attaining them. This clear direction and agreement on mission and purpose is essential for effective teamwork. Team members must have an overall mission that is agreed upon and that provides the umbrella for all that the team tries to do. This team clarity is reinforced when the organization has clear expectations for the team’s work, goals, accountability, and outcomes.

Trust

Team members trust each other. Team members are not punished for disagreeing; disagreement is expected and appreciated.

Communication

Communication is open, honest, and respectful. People feel free to express their thoughts, opinions, and potential solutions to problems. People feel as if they are heard out and listened to by team members who are attempting to understand. Team members ask questions for clarity and spend their thought time listening deeply rather than forming argument while their co-worker is speaking.

Strong sense of belonging

Team members have a strong sense of belonging to the group. They experience a deep commitment to the group’s decisions and actions.

Creativity and innovation

Creativity, innovation, and different viewpoints are expected and encouraged. Comments such as, “we already tried that and it didn’t work” and “what a dumb idea” are not allowed or supported. The team members recognize that the strength in having a team is that every member brings diverseness to the effort to solve a problem, improve a process, reach a goal, or create something new and exciting.

High quality decisions

Members of the team make high quality decisions together and have the support and commitment of the group to carry out the decisions made. They also gain the support and commitment of the people they report to in order to accomplish and communicate the team’s progress and success.

---

Oregbesan Julius Gbenga is the Head Teacher, Kith &Kin Nursery and Primary School (KKNPS)