What is effective teaching? Enhanced learning? What are resources? When I speak the words, I think very rigidly as though trained by ink-blots to respond: organization… field trips… technology… But what about the field trip down the hall? Why is it that I have yet to ask an art teacher work with me on visualization to help with reading comprehension? A history teacher to prepare my class for piece of historical fiction? A music teacher to help me to create a “Gatsby” party mood for a writing prompt? It baffles me as much as my need for the parking spot closest to the entrance… at the gym.
Is it really a time or a planning thing? When we see a willing resource in the form of brilliant teacher in the faculty lounge, what is holding us back? The reality is that if we can get through the “nitty gritty” of planning, the results surpass anything any one teacher could do on his or her own. I have some amazing colleagues who worked together on a graphic novel project (an art teacher, special education case manager, and English teacher).
I was astounded with the results reported not only from the teacher’s perspective, but from those of the students as well! The project took much longer than initially planned, but with some collaboration, the teachers together helped hone the skills -thus saving valuable curriculum time and loosing nothing in the end.
So be bold! Ask another teacher about working together. You’ll probably be pleased not only with the result, but with the process and relationships that develop through the experience.
Originally published May, 2009 at: http://www.nhcte.org/Article%205.htm
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