Professional Collaboration

1. Professional Collaboration Improvement by Working Together

2. Introductions • All-boys school, 540 students, in Carlow town • 40 teachers, predominantly young staff • 5 have done H.Dip in School Planning and 3 are doing Tóraíocht course • Very strong tradition in School Development Planning • Involved in SCD (Maynooth Initiative) in early nineties • Reasonably well-developed subject departments – schedules, assessment

3. Mission Statement To create a Christian, caring community of learning in which each member • Is encouraged to recognise and develop his/her talents and abilities to the full • Is respected as a unique human being and • Enjoys a sense of confidence and belonging

4. Observation • In general, teacher collaboration is a departure from existing norms. In most schools teachers are colleagues in name only. • They work out of sight of one another • Plan and prepare their lessons and materials alone • Struggle on their own to solve their instructional, curricular, and classroom management problems.

5. Research • Teacher collaboration produces significant benefits--for students, for the teachers and for the school. • In schools where teachers work collaboratively, students can sense programme coherence and a consistency of expectations, which may explain the improved behaviour and achievement that results from collaboration. • Teacher collegiality avoids the sink-or-swim, trial-and-error mode that new teachers usually face. It brings experienced and ‘new’ teachers closer together to reinforce the competence and confidence of the beginners.

6. SDPI/ LDS Initiative • Develop middle leadership in schools • Move from mere task management to real leadership • Devolved leadership rather than ‘gofor’ delegation • Understanding self, other personality types and working in teams • Each participating school asked to take a topic as a vehicle for leadership development

7. Our Project at CBS Carlow • Team of 8 teachers - the topic was selected by the group, following a review • ‘Teacher Collaboration’ selected as topic • Extremely useful conversation among group members around the ‘shape’ of the project and how it would be introduced

8. The Planning Cycle

9. Mission Statement To create a Christian, caring community of learning in which each member • Is encouraged to recognise and develop his/her talents and abilities to the full • Is respected as a unique human being and • Enjoys a sense of confidence and belonging

10. Rationale as Staff • Utilise strengths and talents of the staff • Foster a supportive atmosphere and promote collegiality • Teachers have access to innovation on teaching methodology and classroom management skills

11. Aims of Project • Enhance teaching and learning • Improve examination results • Better utilisation of resources • Promote school improvement

12. Description of Project (Design Stage) Professional collaboration has three aspects for the project: • Peer mentoring – a colleague invited another colleague to observe his/her teaching practice. This was done by mutual arrangement on a voluntary basis. • Subject workshops – Colleagues volunteered to present an area of the syllabus at a timetabled subject workshop and a discussion of the presentation then took place • Each teacher in a subject area agreed to share any resources they had compiled over their years teaching. These resources are pooled and stored in a designated area. One member of each subject department agreed to provide inservice to colleagues on the technical aspects of ICT in the classroom, as well as providing examples of work that could be done.

13. Introduction to Staff • Liam selected by the team to introduce the project to staff • Members of team broached the topic with staff (friends) prior to introduction • Voluntary nature of project stressed • Unanimous acceptance of project by staff and approval of project

14. Implementation of Project • Residentials – first and last aspect • Review seminars – three seminars involving all pilot schools • Designated project leader (most important) • Appointment of convenors at subject meetings • Members of the team set the ball rolling by visiting each other’s classes

15. Visiting Classes – Peer Observation • Some reluctant to become involved in class visits initially but numbers grew after positive feedback at staff meetings • Teachers met before and after the classroom visit and oral feedback given • Substitution available to cover classes if necessary • Many teachers commented on the positive impact of another teacher in their classroom

16. Subject Workshops • At least one computer-literate teacher in each subject department. Provided inservice on teaching subject in ICT environment • All new teachers are au-fait with Assessment for Learning (AfL). Growing school – enough AfL-literate teachers to introduce the methodology in each department • A number of subject departments presented aspects of syllabus to colleagues.

17. Resources • Each teacher copied personal resources and made them available to colleagues in subject area • Resources stored in designated area • Resources varied from notes, overheads, software and presentations using PowerPoint or other application

18. Evidence of Success • Unanimity among colleagues on the value of sharing and collaboration. • A huge amount of resource materials was pooled and shared among colleagues in departments – resource press in staff room • More developed subject planning – teaching methodology, syllabus planning, better quality paperwork • Greater trust was built up and ‘team-teaching’ will be implemented by the school this year, especially among resource teachers. • Greater communication between subject department teachers. • Increased use of IT in teaching & learning, as a result – the most talked-about aspect!

19. Leadership/ Team-Building • The work was done through subject departments and this enhanced the team aspect of the department, enhancing professional collaboration among staff members. • The project began breaking down barriers and opening up dialogue between members of subject departments. • There was an enhancement of the trust among colleagues – high level of trust required to allow peer observation. • The work was spearheaded by a postholder and was largely self-directed by every teacher. • Enhance leadership capacity by rotating convenors of subject workshops. • Subject convenors developed obvious leadership skills

20. Next Steps • Formulate an ‘Record Sheet’ and record the visits – No grades or marks! • Use the records for subject department discussion on how to • improve teaching methodologies and promote learning and teaching • Improve class management techniques by sharing strategies • Develop a collaborative culture among staff • Develop AfL

21. Evaluation • Time has been set aside at the beginning of the new school year for a full evaluation by staff • Discussion of the outcomes • Identify the values and the obstacles • Examine the value of the team approach – the middle-leadership team • Design a way forward