Collaboration

• Collaborating with colleagues
• Resistance to working in PLCs
• Working with parents

Consider this: Collaboration is a best practice in today’s work world.

• What standard or expectation about collaboration is in a mission, vision or core value statement that would be helpful to revisit?
• What’s in it for someone who asks to collaborate? What benefits might they look for and expect?
• What tools such as Norms or Protocols are available to guide and focus productive outcomes?
• What skills such as listening, paraphrasing, presuming positive intent and reflective feedback are present in the collaboration?

Language Possibilities:

1. “(Name), knowing the benefits that come from team planning and collaboration and given your commitment to your students’ success, what are you wanting from your team that will impact your engagement?”
2. “What are some of the ways your team’s planning and collaboration is supporting your teaching? What would you like to see? What are you thinking you might do in your team to get what you want?”
3. “What benefits are you realizing, personally, from your team’s collaboration?”
4. “What are the pros and cons for student success that come from your participation and contributions in a PLC?”
5. “Because a strong partnership with parents is a core value of our mission, how are you maximizing that relationship with regard to __________?” (student’s name)