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Deborah Iepson - Vice Principal
Nicole Campbell - General Education
Lydia McCusker - Specialist

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There are many similarities that one will find in the answers of a school administrator, a general education teacher, and a specialist when interviewing about collaboration, co-teaching, and consultation. It was not surprising that each person that I interviewed had the same ideas about each and the more experienced the professional, the more detailed the response. Please review my findings below!

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When educators meet with other educators, specialists, or experts to seek advice, it is considered consultation. Consultations can occur for various reasons, but they are typically to discuss ways to improve upon status quo. Many of the characteristics that make educators successful when participating in a consulting fall in line with those of effective collaborators and co-teachers. Flexibility, confidence, sociability, persistence, professionalism, good communication skills, good listening skills, and openness are all good qualities for individuals participating in consultations to possess. There are endless benefits of consultations for both educators and students but the main idea is that new ideas are created and teaching and learning strategies are improved. Consultation can be a complicated idea because in order for it to work, professionals all need to be able to recognize professional boundaries, trust one another, realize other's perspective and approaches. There also needs to be enough time to be able to consult with one another. Like many other areas of education, the more one is able to practice, the more comfortable he or she feels. All interviewees stated that they were comfortable with consultation as they have all been involved extensively with it. It is essential that there is time for collaboration and an establishment of relationships. Participants must be active in setting priorities, exploring options, and making decisions. To better prepare for consultation, it is important to establish goals and determine where students should be as well as practice the skills necessary for each in other areas of life. Overall, experience will improve one's ability to be effective in all areas of the teaching and learning process.

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Co-teaching is a pretty self explanatory word but defined by teaching professionals, co-teaching means working side-by-side with another teacher in one room, panning and teaching with another teacher in the class, or two teachers working together - shared planning, organization, delivery, and assessment of instruction.  Each educator that I interviewed recognized the important characteristics of co-teachers to be openness, ability to share control, ideas, and responsibilities, flexibility, and good listeners. Co-teaching allows teachers to utilize their own teaching style and also that of another which facilitates improved student performance, improved strategies. These professionals felt that co-teaching was very beneficial for students as well. Some potential barriers that may arise are trust, finding common ground, acceptance of each other's abilities and limitations, willingness to share authority and responsibilities. There are different skills that individuals should possess to be an effective co-teacher. Educators should have excellent interpersonal skills, acceptance of other's teaching styles and perspectives, accountability as well as be able to plan together and remain organized. All 3 educators were very comfortable with co-teaching but each also mentioned that it really depends on whom they are co-teaching with. Co-teaching does not just happen on it's own. Educators need planning time, space, and established mutual respect and rapport. Familiarity with each other's teaching style, strengths, and weaknesses will help to create a successful co-teaching relationship. Planning time and practice was the common theme surrounding how to better prepare to co-teach. College courses did not do a thing with regards to co-teaching, except for the student teaching portion but it is important as it is something that they are all engaged in.

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Each interviewee defined Collaboration almost exactly the same. Overall, the theme was working together to achieve a common goal which is to provide the best support. Being flexible, open, willing to try new ideas, having good listening skills and being a team player were all characteristics that were believed to be important for effective collaboration. These same characteristics were offered when asked about the skills necessary for effective collaboration. Each professional felt that there were many benefits from collaborating with others. Mainly, the theme of the importance of sharing ideas and the affect it has on teacher improvement and performance. When asked about the potential barriers, the general classroom teacher and the specialist both felt that the time to plan was an issue while the vice principal agreed, she went a bit further to mention subject area dominance and acceptance of another's skills and abilities. All interviewees felt comfortable with collaboration, as they have been doing it for years. The conditions necessary to collaborate from a general education and a specialist's perspective are uninterrupted planning time and team/grade-level participation while the vice-principal brought up the importance of shared responsibility for participation, mutual goals, supportive administration, and the freedom to explore. Everyone felt that to improve collaboration, more planning time, and experience is needed. It seems as though experience in the educational field has provided the best education about collaboration (not college courses), as it is something that these professionals engage in often and will continue to in the future.