Collaborative Teaching for Collaborative Learning

"Collaborative action research involves professionals who have in common the interest and disposition to work in groups to investigate solutions to problems that affect them. The vital role of researchers is to be part of the change process started by teachers and to lead a scientific approach focused on understanding how to improve teachers’ practice" (DeOliviera Souza 2015).

http://boardvoice.ca/public/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Web-Collaboration.jpg

        Throughout my studies here at Brock University, I have learned a multitude of new concepts and theories that I will no doubt bring to my own classrooms. However, for my final blog post for the semester, I have decided to move away from theories, and onto the specific ideals that I wish to include when I am brought into the schools and classrooms. I think that, as students learning to be teachers, we all have specific ideals and theories that we constantly tell ourselves we will bring into our classrooms. I generally believe in all of these theories, however, I don't think that any of these teaching theories will work if the environment in the schools is one filled with negativity. I think that it is important as future teachers to think about not only how we will teach students and become educators, but also how we will be effective staff members, assisting our fellow teachers in need.

http://ne-mm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ri-web-design-social-media-training-collaboration.jpg

         Wallin (2014) discusses the prior teaching practices, and challenges these ideals: "In the past, teaching was often largely an isolated job. Teachers worked most of the time with students, and did not have much interaction with other adults. This was true not only of new teachers, who may have felt that they are left to "sink or swim" on their own, but also of experienced teachers. With the increasing development of collaborative professional development, team teaching, interdisciplinary inquiry learning projects, and teamed support for diverse learners, much of the isolation in teaching is being dispelled". As Wallin says, collaborative teaching will stem to change the idea of education from one that is very closed door, to one that is open and inviting; not only for teachers together, but also for the students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85HUMHBXJf4

         Collaborative teaching is something that I find to be very important. It is essential for student's learning and a positive school environment for teachers to be informed and comfortable with each other. The video above shows two teachers working together in order to teach one cohesive classroom. Although sometimes this type of teaching is not available, I still believe that it is important for teachers to be upfront and honest with each other about their methods. As said in the video, many teachers just close their doors in their individual classrooms, creating a 'competition' between other teachers as to who can teach their students the best. Instead of this method, I believe that teachers should be supportive of each other, and open about what certain teaching practices will work, especially when compared with others. I find that this method will be most helpful for new teachers, as their experienced counterparts will be able to guide them through tough situations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S02D9QzDe4s&index=3&list=PLJtw61qZ4J7vWkGjhJOER4Iyr00tddrmU

        This video from "Remember the Titans" is the perfect example of teamwork, and the greatness that can come of people working together. I believe that the same type of collaboration and greatness can happen in schools if teachers collaborate in order to ensure that students get the best type of education possible. 

Retrieved from: http://sdwild.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/harvard_collaboration.jpg

        Through teachers putting their own biases and possible 'competitions' aside, it will benefit the students in the best way possible. This is something that I strongly believe in, and I will strive to ensure that I will be this type of teacher in my schools. It is important for teachers to not only think of themselves as teachers, but also team members and co-workers. Everyone has something new and different to bring to the table, and you never know how much your knowledge may benefit someone in need. 

References

De Oliveira Souza, L., Lopes, C.C., & Pfannkuch, M. M. (2015). Collaborative Professional Development For Statistics Teaching: A Case Study of Two Middle-School Mathematics Teachers. Statistic Education Resarch Journal, 14 (1). 112-134.

Young, L., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2014). Understanding Canadian schools: An Introduction to Educational Administration (5th ed.). Available at http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wallind/understandingcanadianschools5.html.

Who's Voice Is Heard Through Education?

The school system is full of many different hierarchies that determine what is taught in the classroom. In EDUC 3P70, we learned that both the Minister of Education, as well as the deputy minister of education are not teachers. This made me wonder, how are these people, the ones at the top of the hierarchy, able to make accurate decisions that will severely impact education, if they have no other background knowledge on the system?

https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/edu_chart.pdf

If you look at the hierarchy link attached here, you see all of the different branches and divisions that are included, with the teacher not even on the list. This hierarchy makes me think about the importance of education to the public, and who’s voices are actually heard, and who’s are stifled.

http://schools.bvsd.org/p12/monarchk8/PublishingImages/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=151

We initially discussed whether or not teachers should have sole access and control over the curriculum. At first glance, this seems like a great idea – why not have actual educators, people who see the impacts of certain policies and procedures, take over the education system? They would be able to implement policies that actually matter since they know and live through the system every day. However, through further thought onto this matter, I wonder how much bias certain teachers would bring with them. If we let teachers have utmost control over the curriculum, then their own biases will be brought with them, causing further strife and unrest within the system itself.

http://quotesgram.com/student-leadership-quotes/

This leads me to wonder whether or not there will ever be a ‘perfect system’? Who’s voices matter the most, and why? I definitely think that some changes need to be made, especially when related to the number of people who have utmost power, and their minimal background pertaining to the education system. I believe that the needs of the students should be put first, as this is generally the first need that is often ignored. The students are never brought into any conversations, and are the first to be ignored when it comes to their wants and needs. I found this to be ironic, considering the whole idea around education is to educate the students. As Wallin (2015) says, “since students are commonly cited by all parties as the prime beneficiaries of schools and the reason we have schools, it seems odd that they have typically had no formal role in making decisions about various aspects of schooling.” I agree with this completely, what is the point of having an education system without hearing the input from the most important part of education – the students themselves? Hine (2014) points to the immense importance of student’s agency, especially since it can so highly impact the future. 

                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_WBSInDc2E 

This youtube video shows students establishing their own goals, and leading their own conferences. This type of power given to students is, arguably, the exact type of education system we need. Students are not blank spaces in which teachers deposit their knowledge, otherwise known as the banking model for education. Students instead should be empowered, and given more control over their education. It was not until I entered into University that I really realized what I wanted to do with my life, and found my own passions. I strongly believe that this is because of the independence that I have been given while here, able to choose my own courses, based on my likes and dislikes. This type of agency earlier on in my life would have only given me the confidence that I needed to succeed further in high school. This is exactly why I believe that students should be given more leadership opportunities, and that their voices should no longer be stifled. If the current system is flawed because of lack of knowledge of those on the top of the hierarchy, if teachers alone will not be able to accurately create the curriculum without integrating their own biases, then it is the perfect time to implement student voices, in order to work towards student successes. As Kid President says, we are all on the same team, and I think that it’s time everyone works together to create a communal voice, instead of stifling the voices of those who matters most. 

                              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzF23qI3Djw

Young, L., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2014). Understanding Canadian schools: An Introduction to Educational Administration (5th ed.). Available at http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wallind/understandingcanadianschools5.html.

Hine, G. C. (2014). Student Leadership Development: A Functional Framework. Journal Of Catholic Education, 18(1),

The Importance of Individualized Education

            The idea of education as inclusive is regarded as a positive ideology, but I would question whether or not it is being properly implemented in the classroom. The idea that all students learn the same, and therefore all should be taught the same way is one that has been disputed for as long as I can remember. However, students with learning disabilities want nothing more than to be integrated and included in their classrooms. “Although their intellectual capacity is average or above average, their learning achievements in some learning domains are modest, and they are poorly integrated into their social environment, which often results in their discrimination” (Kavkler 2015). The approach to counter this is known as inclusive education. However, not all students learn the same way, and it is therefore up to the teacher to decide upon the best way to teach the student. This is known as individualized education, and individualized learning. I believe that we can find a happy medium between the two types of education, in order to include all students, but ensure that each student is taught according to their strengths.

Inclusive education is known as the teacher being inclusive towards their students with learning disabilities, ensuring that they get the same treatment as a child in the class who does not have a learning disability. However, as seen through this video, even children with learning disabilities are not being exposed to the proper inclusive education: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtRY_1mZWWg

Jan Wilson, through her TedX talks, discusses the problem that many disabled students have today in trying to get inclusive educations. She discusses the many difficult processes that she has had to go through with her own daughter in order to have her daughter be included in the school’s activities, and even acknowledged by her teacher. As a future teacher, I can absolutely appreciate the benefits of inclusive education towards students with learning disabilities, but I wonder if we can push it one step further; include all students in learning, but have an individualized approach to each student’s learning ideals. This individualized program should be implemented for each individual student, and not just those with learning disabilities (known as IEP’s). I believe that we as teachers can find a happy middle between including every student, and not teaching all students the same.

            One of the first things that I was taught in my many education classes was that all students learn differently, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to realize each individual student’s way of learning, and adjust your teaching tactics to fit their needs, so that they are able to facilitate their own learning based on their terms. This is very similar to the Montessori approach to education, as it “encourages independent decision making and goal setting, two values a Montessori curriculum supports directly and indirectly. It is a structure with a consistent framework. That is, the parts of a reading workshop are consistent from day to day, and materials are stored in such a way that children can access them as needed. This consistency enables children to make choices about their own learning because they are not always waiting for direction from a teacher” (Cockerille 2004).

Retrieved from http://www.vwmin.org/individualized-education-program-iep-cde.html

In one of my Education classes last year, my professor said something that has stuck in my brain ever since: that we as University students are the top 5%, the supposed best of the best. We beat the system because we quickly realized how the system wanted us to learn, and adapted ourselves to fit into that model in order to succeed. This made me wonder about the way in which teachers teach, and what students, the rest of the 95% would have been as successful as the rest of us if they had been given the opportunity of an individualized plan. In the past IEP’s have been given solely to students with learning disabilities, but if we look at the percentage of students, who do not make it to university, yet do not have learning disabilities, something needs to change. I don’t expect that this number will ever be 100%, I realize that many students simply don’t want more than a high school education, but I wonder how many would have loved the opportunity to be able to if they had the marks. The following video explains IEP’s, but in the context of a student with a learning disability: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcanvrWnUjM

 Instead, I believe that every student should have their own individualized plan in order to meet their needs and goals. 

References

Gratz Cockerille, A. (2014). Reading Workshop in the Montessori Classroom. Montessori Life. 26(3), 36-43.

Kavkler, M., Babuder, M., K., & Magajna, L. (2015). Inclusive Education for Children with Specific Learning Difficulties: Analysis of Opportunities and Barriers in Inclusive Education in Slovenia. CEPS Journal. 5(1), 31-52.