importance of collaboration in schools.pdf

Teachers’ Guides to Inclusive Practices

Collaborative Teaming

Third Edition

by Margaret E. King-Sears, Ph.D. Rachel Janney, Ph.D. and Martha E. Snell, Ph.D.

Contents

  1. Overview of Collaborative Teaming
  2. Collaborative Teams
  3. Why Is Collaboration So Important in Schools Today?
  4. Collaboration and Collaborative Teaming
  5. Service Delivery Models and Methods
  6. Components of Collaborative Teaming
  7. Benefits and Challenges of Collaborative

About the Authors

Margaret E. King-Sears, Ph.D.
Margaret E. King-Sears, Ph.D., is Professor in the Division of Special Education and disAbility Research at George Mason University, where she has taught since 2005. Prior to that, she developed and coordinated the inclusive education program at The Johns Hopkins University, where she taught from 1989 to 2005. Her research interests are in co-teaching, self-management, and universal design for learning. She is active in several national organizations, including the Council for Learning Disabilities and the Teacher Education Division of Council for Exceptional Children.

Rachel Janney, Ph.D.
Rachel Janney, Ph.D., is an independent scholar and consultant who has worked with and on behalf of children and adults with disabilities in a number of capacities, including special education teacher, educational and behavioral consultant, technical assistance provider, teacher educator, researcher, and author.

Melissa Ainsworth, Ph.D.
Melissa Ainsworth, Ph.D., began her career teaching high school English but switched into special education, where she taught middle and high school students with moderate to severe disabilities.

Leighann Alt, M.A.
Leighann Alt, M.A., is a special educator who has taught students with a range of disabilities in a variety of educational programs and settings since 1997.

Kimberly Avila, Ph.D.
Kimberly Avila, Ph.D., is an experienced teacher of students with visual impairments and a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist.

Colleen Barry, M.Ed.
Colleen Barry, M.Ed., has taught students with autism at the preschool and elementary levels.

Michelle Dunaway, M.Ed.
Michelle Dunaway, M.Ed., has taught middle and secondary students with mild to moderate disabilities in various educational settings for more than 8 years.

Rachel Hamberger, M.Ed.
Rachel Hamberger, M.Ed., is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She taught preschoolers with autism for 7 years and is now the preschool supervisor of an inclusive preschool.

Catherine Morrison, M.Ed.
Catherine Morrison, M.Ed., teaches students with mild to moderate disabilities at the high school level in Hawaii.

Julia Renberg, M.Ed.
Julia Renberg, M.Ed., has taught general middle school science in Florida and regular, pre–Advanced Placement, and team-taught chemistry in Virginia.

Karen King Scanlan, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Karen King Scanlan, B.S.N., RN, CCRN, is a Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse. She is currently a clinical nurse coordinator in an intensive care unit.

Why Is Collaboration So Important in Schools Today?

Quality teaching is not an individual accomplishment; it is the result of a collaborative culture that empowers teachers to team up to improve student learning beyond what any of them can achieve alone. The idea that a single teacher, working alone, can know and do everything to meet the diverse learning needs of 30 students every day has rarely worked. Today’s classrooms are filled with students who are diverse in their skills and entry knowledge, their motivation to engage in schoolwork, their home life and past experiences, and their languages. An array of teachers and consultative professionals with complementary talents is needed to promote learning in these classrooms, thereby making collaboration among teachers and other school staff essential.

Collaboration is essential for effective special education practice, as laws and regulations require collaboration in the special education process. These include the amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which necessitate a multidisciplinary approach where general and special education teachers work together with parents and specialists to meet individual student needs.

Seven Critical Characteristics of Inclusive Education

  1. All students are welcome to attend the schools they would attend if they did not have a disability, where they and their families are valued members of the school community.
  2. The school culture reflects shared values of equality, democracy, high expectations, diversity, collaboration, and belief that all students are capable of learning and contributing.
  3. Students are full members of age-appropriate classes where the number of students with and without disabilities is proportional to the local population.
  4. Collaborative teaming is central to inclusive schooling, ensuring that educational programs and supports are planned and implemented collaboratively.
  5. Students receive the necessary supports and adaptations to participate fully in shared learning experiences.
  6. Administrators motivate and support school staff toward a shared mission and foster shared leadership in a professional community.
  7. Inclusion is viewed as a system-wide and school-wide approach, impacting all students and teachers in a school.