Collaborating Effectively
st
in 21 Century Schools
Thomas Miller
Roger Bacon Academy
UNCW
Goal
• Professionally discuss and practice a
researched positive collaboration tool
that you could be embedded into your
school this week.
What is your current role in
education?
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1. Teacher
2. School Administrator
3. Central Office
Personnel
4. State Education
Employee
5. University Faculty
6. Other
What does collaboration look like in
schools?
• How, When, and
Where do we
collaborate?
According to recent research,
what should collaboration look
like?
• Deeply focused on improving instruction
• Comprehensive set of meetings woven
into teacher schedule in creative ways
• Data-driven
According to recent research,
collaboration is most effective
when…
• Sufficient time is provided for teachers to discuss student
learning needs and share, review, and provide feedback
on instructional practices that address these needs
• Collaboration meetings are part of a coherent school
improvement plan and are structured with clearly
mapped goals and objectives
• District and school leadership see collaboration as
primary vehicle for improving instruction and student
performance
On average, how many hours do you
collaborate with peers per week?
Less than 1 hour
1-2
2-5
More than 5 hours
rs
5
2-
5
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In your experience, what is the
most effective collaboration
strategy?
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20% 20% 20% 20% 20%
School Based P.D.
Scheduled
Interdisciplinary
Meetings
Faculty Meetings
Teachers Lounge
Teacher observation &
post conferences
Sc
1.
2.
How often do you use the strategies you
learned in a professional development?
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Every time.
Most of the time
Some of the time
Hardly
Never
Ev
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Research states, the current
collaboration issues include:
– Busy schedules
– overload of classes and students
– Meeting content, structure are often weak
inconsistent
– Unproductive goal setting
– Unprofessional interactions
– Ineffective plans to address shared purposes
What are teachers
options?
How familiar are you with a Critical
Friends Group?
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1. Very Familiar
2. Somewhat
Familiar
3. I have heard the
term.
4. What is a Critical
Friends Group?
Critical Friends Group
• A Critical Friends Group (CFG)
is a professional learning
community consisting of
approximately 6-8 educators
who come together voluntarily
at least once a month.
• C.F.G.’s generate effective
practices for teacher’s to share
materials, develop support
systems, and promote and
support holistic approaches to
meeting the teaching and
learning needs of schools
around the nation (Cromwell,
1999)
History of Critical Friends Groups
• Annenberg Institute for National School Reform
(Brown University, 1995)
• Created Professional Learning Communities
work together to:
–
–
–
–
–
Engage in reflective discussion
Inquire into, analyze and reflect upon student work
Develop shared norms and values
Focus on Student learning
Connect Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction
CFG’s provide three occasions
for reflection
• Peer Observations
– During observations
• Small Group Meeting
– 3 CFG members
– Post-observations
• Full CFG meeting led by CFG Coach:
– CFG Participant Driven Topic
Video
• Annenberg Media
• Critical Issues in
School Reform
– Innovations in
Professional
Collaboration: Making
Teaching Public
What makes me think this will work?
Dissolving Boundaries
Critical Friends Group
(Southeast Region Elementary School Data)
• Demonstrated:
– Teachers are more likely to be observed during
difficult/engaging lessons
– More personal feedback, discussions about education
– Not sit and get: Teacher receives modeled lessons
– Trained Coach to: Set an agenda, no pity party
comments
– Participant centered professional development
- Greater impact on the community, ripple effect
- Teachers develop “true” professional relationships
Documented Benefits to Teachers
• Support and Trust
• School Based Professional Development
• Diverse Range of Foci
• Shared Relevant Strategies for Student Success
• Journal reflecting about their connections,
generalizations, applications increased personal learning
Impact on Student Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Stronger Classroom Management
Open Dialogue Amongst Students
Linking Lessons to Prior Knowledge
Effective Strategies for Success
Fresh New Ideas that Gain Student
Attention/Motivation
• Focus on Students Needs
Effective Shared Strategies
(8 weeks – 3 cycles)
• 29 Implemented Strategies Through CFG
• 9 Through Staff Development
• 8 Through Grade Level Meetings
• 3 Through Informal Collaboration
Let’s Practice…Practice?
Questions?
So…can a CFG support your
role?
• Call or Email me before
September 5th
– tmiller@rogerbacon.net
– @millerthomas76
– Miller.t (SKYPE)
– 910-431-7441
• Thanks for your time
Critical Friends Group Resources
National School Reform Faculty
–http://www.nsrfharmony.org/default.html
Anneberg Media and Professional Development
- http://www.learner.org/index.html
- Coalition of Essential Schools Northwest
- http://www.cesnorthwest.org/cfg.php