The Benefits of Collaboration

I've been doing some reflection and research as to the benefits of collaboration. The following list is my top ten reasons to collaborate:

1. As educators, we are constantly striving to create authentic and meaningful educational experiences for our students. We know that integrating subjects, creating projects that involve community and working with others are characteristics of authentic teaching and learning. Students experience a higher level of achievement and often are more motivated by these experiences. Projects that are developed and taught in partnership between the teacher librarian and the classroom teacher are examples of authentic learning experiences.

2. The integration of the two specialisms benefits the students. The classroom teacher knows the needs and abilities of the students in addition to the curriculum areas that need to be taught. He/she knows what interests the students, their learning styles and what types of learning activities have been successful I in the past. The teacher librarian offers a variety of resources and information literacy tools to support the learning of the students. He/she can teach information literacy skills in an integrated situation. Together they create the optimal learning environment.

3. The students benefit from additional teachers, resources and technology. There is simply more of everything to go around! Students with special needs or learning difficulties especially benefit from having two teachers in the room. Special grouping can be considered and monitored more effectively. Resources and technology are used effectively and efficiently, optimizing maximum value for money.

4. Collaboration is a form of advocacy. Classroom teachers that work collaboratively with teacher librarians are more likely to visit the library, support its programs, encourage their students to go to the library and share their positive experiences with other colleagues. Both are colleagues and our students are reminded that we are teachers, not just people who are paid to look after books.

5. As there are two people sharing the planning, implementation and evaluation of the unit, the workload is shared. There is less marking for the classroom teacher as it is shared, which is always a selling feature of collaborative teaching!

6. As a teacher librarian, you gain understanding and insight as to how your colleague(s) teach, what they teach and their preferred methods of delivery. This insight in valuable in that it provides you with ideas as to how to support them in the future, the type of resources they will appreciate, etc.

7. Collaborative teaching provides a learning opportunity for the teachers too! It is likely that both the teacher librarian and the classroom teacher will be exposed to something new, whether it be a technology skill, teaching style or strategy. Consider it a cost and time effective professional development opportunity!

8. We all teach differently. Students all learn differently. Exposing students to different teaching styles increases the likelihood of more students accessing the information, hence increasing learning.

9. It’s fun! You get to try new ideas that you might never have thought of or had the courage to do. You get to know your colleague(s) on a different level. It is especially wonderful for some of us social beings who prefer not to do things in isolation and are more effective and creative when bouncing ideas off of others.

10. If for no other reason, numerous studies and exhaustive research shows that collaborative teaching increases student achievement. Say no more!