4.4 The benefits and challenges of teacher collaboration by EUN Partnership aisbl

Stella Maris Berdaxagar from Argentina

SMBerdaxagar — 2016-11-14 12:02:24 UTC

P2P collaboration , content curation and global communities of practice have had a major influence on my teaching/ learning career. It is an opportunity to integrate 21st Century multiliteracies in our classrooms beyond walls and schedules. The major challenge is not sharing interests , goals or pedagogical approaches. It is a barrier more difficult to overcome than time zones or physical distance. GCPs have been my only opportunity to grow and develop professionally, to ignite my vocation and inspire my praxis through permanent innovation and proactive reflection. I usually collaborate with communities on different platforms through content curation and support.

Marianthi Arvanitidou- Greece

1canislupus22 — 2016-11-14 13:08:37 UTC

Strong co-teachers provide seamless instruction for their students. Both teachers must come to a mutual agreement that they are equals in the classroom, and students must perceive both teachers as invaluable members of the classroom community. This can be particularly difficult for teachers who have taught alone for many years. Sometimes we don't realize how many decisions we make alone in our classroom on a daily basis. Making decisions as a team is key to a strong partnership, but it is often an adjustment for veteran teachers.

Vasso Lalakidou, Greece

lalakidou — 2016-11-14 14:13:55 UTC

I believe that sharing ideas and methods is one of the major challenges in education. I totally agree with the benefits and the challenges for collaboration which are mentioned on the video. I have designed and applied with my collegue who teaches to the special education classes a blended learning lesson for our students using the Edmodo environment last year and the total experience was very positive for both of us despite the early difficulties.

Maria Daniela Roberto

2016-11-14 14:37:51 UTC

Peer collaboration, even among teachers, sometimes it is quitecomplex and articulated, although very effective educationally. In myschool we are working on a common project, eventually leading to afinal outcome such as an advertisement for the school. This certainlyrequires commitment and perseverance, cooperation, clarity andconfrontation of ideas for achieving a common goal.

Francesca, Italy

sercase — 2016-11-14 14:56:37 UTC

Collaboration betwwen teachers is really useful to energize you and give you enthusiasm in your activities. Furthermore it is a way of sharing strategies, experience and culture, too.

Viviana, Italy

vivianasavino75 — 2016-11-14 14:56:57 UTC

The benefits of teacher collaboration are evident. The challenge is to find fellows who want to work togheter in a community of practice. In Primary school, teachers have to work togheter two hours, every week, in order to plan lessons, activities, strategies and meanings; but it's not easy to make cooperative teaching true. Every teacher has its own way to think at the process of learning-teaching, at the pupils, at the fellows.. and it's difficult to reach a compromise.

the benefits of

cristinapeicuti — 2016-11-14 15:13:19 UTC

Grazia Paladino, Italy

graziampl — 2016-11-14 15:25:04 UTC

I believe that collaboration between teachers should start from the school team. Just so by organizing shared activities growth of the school as community is acquired and improves . Educational platforms that combine teachers also geographically dispersed are really interesting for individual growth, but the best effects are obtained when doing group within the same school reality

Cristina Fuertes, Spain

2016-11-14 15:32:45 UTC

collaboration with others is always professional development.

Galian

galia_770505 — 2016-11-14 15:33:37 UTC

Look what I have found....

Elena FP, Italy

2016-11-14 15:35:30 UTC

I have been involved for some years in collaborative projects involving teachers of different subjects, at my school and among international schools ( the Internet is a great communication tool, with Skype, emails, Facebook...). We are more or less the same teachers cooperating on similar projects, being part of the CLIL and Erasmus+ teams at school. We have different tempers and approaches, but working together on the outcomes and goals help us focus on the process, not on our personal differences. The main challenge, nevertheless, is involving more colleagues. Some of them are skeptical about sharing experiences and skills...

Dorota Sobierańska, Poland

ds_sobieranscy — 2016-11-14 16:11:33 UTC

To become a professional teacher, you have to collaborate with other teachers and the local community.

Nils, Germany

2016-11-14 16:14:07 UTC

I agree and I'd like to underline that you need colleagues you can trust. This is sometimes not the case in one's own school.

Maria, Italia

mariagranatiero — 2016-11-14 16:37:37 UTC

collaborate with colleagues makes the activity a project not a lesson to be learned.
the boys do not distinguish the different discipline but carry out a collaborative work.

Carmen Carella, Italy

carmencarella — 2016-11-14 16:51:07 UTC

I understand Professor Butler’s view about experimenting new challenges on collaborative work at school. She suggested valid solutions to the problems the teachers pose, like the one of one class period built-in that is common across a department. In short, I think she wants to tell us to have a try and not be scared about the new collaborative projects and leave our comfort zone.

This happened to me when I tried the Mystery Skype guessing game, which seemed very simple but it took time for me to implement and organize. I can honestly say I got very anxious because it was the first time, but the reward was great at the end, both from teaching experience and from student’s repay as well.

In my school, we can decide to start multidisciplinary projects and any teacher can bring something to the project, but it is more as a common topic we work on separately, not actually together, with some competition, I dare say. So we are far from what Professor Butler indicates.

Marilena, Greece

becsa1 — 2016-11-14 16:54:21 UTC

Well, I agree, that it is always a good thing to challenge yourself as a professional and try out new things. I haven’t really collaborated with teachers in my school, that is up until now, since this year, I will be working with 2 teachers of different subjects, in an after school-hours project with a group of students. I am keen to start working with them and see first-hand the benefits and challenges mentioned, plus others, that I’m sure will come up.

Helen, Belgium

2016-11-14 16:54:47 UTC

When you are lucky enough to have a fantastic colleague to collaborate with, it makes a world of difference. I have learned so much from the teacher who works alongside me. I also find that collaborating on planning provides a space in which to 'bounce ideas around' and this is when your ideas flourish. Time is the biggest factor! I would love for my school to recognise and build in collaboration time but that is extremely unlikely. there can never be enough time, in my opinion!

Alessandra, Italy

alessandra_marini1 — 2016-11-14 17:08:40 UTC

I really would like to collaborate with other teachers, ...In my school it's not always possible, due to lack of technological instruments and to teachers who are too involved in their "personal " lessons....
Collaboration among teachers should be the first thing....

Despoina Amarantidou, Greece

damarant — 2016-11-14 17:45:58 UTC

I have found the presentation really interesting and I particularly liked the part of a supportive school culture. I t is very important to collaborate with responsible people that respect each other. The platform of eTwinning is a sample of collaboration and the aspect of time is a certain drawback when working with colleagues.

Ester Degennaro,Italy

esterdegennaro — 2016-11-14 17:54:04 UTC

"A real, true collaborator is a person who moves beyond a classroom, which goes across boundaries ".
Virtual environments such as Edmodo and Twinspace allow teachers to design authentic learning tasks together.But it's true that it's easier to collaborate with teachers in other countries than those in the same school.
I'm trying to change something inviting the teachers of my school to collaborate with me in different platforms.

Tamar Chalakheshashvili Georgia

tamarigia — 2016-11-14 18:08:54 UTC

Cooperation is necessary. This leads to higher academic achievement in students. The school did not always succeed, joint planning of lessons. Did not have enough time. I can not get to work more closely with the school. However, the projects helps me share my experience with other colleagues

Cinzia Centrone

centrone_cinzia — 2016-11-14 18:14:00 UTC

I completely agree with the benefits and challenge highlighted by prof. Butler. Sharing ideas and methods, accepting suggestions, making decisions as a team, peer to peer learning are big challenges in our works. they allow professional growth. But it need respect and sense of responsability.

Francesca, Italy

francesca_lombardi1973 — 2016-11-14 19:23:03 UTC

We need to work as a community to nurture our schools for our particular community needs.
I really think the answer to real school transformation is strong, authentic community connections and actions, using new digital tools in a effectively way.

Belgin Saka, Turkey

belgins — 2016-11-14 19:24:15 UTC

I agree with prof. Butler baout the benefits and challenge of teacher collaboration.

Fátima, Portugal

fffcaeiro — 2016-11-14 19:28:51 UTC

More than describing more opinions I I'd rather want to share some ideas with which I absolutely agree.
In fact, to be a collaborative teacher is to be there, to help, to answer and also to ask, to listen to and to give opinions, to guide, to agree or disagree and, above all, share opinions and experiences.

Sometimes it is not easy to try a different method or to accept a different idea, but we should never say “no” or “impossible” if we won’t try!

Tiziana- Italy

2016-11-14 20:07:35 UTC

I wish I could collaborate more with teachers in my school and could work with other European classes.
I won a scholarship ( Comenius) some years ago but I could not cooperate with the teachers as I had to move to another school and lost my job.
I think collaboration is crucial.

Arlindo Pereira, Portugal

2016-11-14 20:25:31 UTC

The importance of the theme has been mentioned several times in the various modules and so, I also agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted. My experience is few. I started this school year the practice of the collaborative work using various tools and I am at the beginning of the process. I have already asked the intervention of experts related to the theme that is being developed, the collaboration by the teachers will come next. I am aware that it can not be easy but it is important to involve colleagues because the project work could be the beginning of the change in the relationship between the various stakeholders.

Maria A., Greece

2016-11-14 20:40:19 UTC

I particularly liked the idea that all the classes of the school collaborate at a certain time of the week.

Inge H., Austria

2016-11-14 20:45:05 UTC

I absolutely agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. Several years ago I had the change to participate at a teacher exchange programme with an Italian teacher. During that one week I learnt more about the Italian schoolsystem and culture than in the years before. At my schools we sometimes work crosscurricularly-but always in the same teams. To those Italian teachers interested in collaborating with me/Austria- you can find me on twitter:@signoramartello

Els Teerlinck Belgium

els_teerlinck — 2016-11-14 20:55:43 UTC

There is nothing I would like to do more than this. The problem is however that if we do this, we won't have 24 but at least 40 children in one classroom and this may be to much. You also need to find the right person to collaborate with and I would need a big classroom in wich there can sit 40 students or more...

Annamaria Egido, Italy

2016-11-14 20:56:47 UTC

I completely agree with the benefits and challenge highlighted by prof. Butler.

Natalija, Serbia

dikovicnatalija — 2016-11-14 21:17:47 UTC

Most often cooperate teachers of the same school or teachers of the same subjects in different schools.
Most often cooperate teachers of the same school or teachers of the same subjects in different schools.

Angelo, Rivoli, Italy

Angelo — 2016-11-14 21:56:08 UTC

I share all the excitement on the collaboration that Deirdre conveys. Collaboration is absolutely energizing: this was the positive "shock" that both I and many teachers experienced in Turin when in 1998 we followed the first refreshment course on cooperative learning with prof. Mario Comoglio. I find this charge of energy in my students when they can work in groups to a common project. I find it every time I follow a MOOC like this.
Until this year for me it was easier to find collaborations outside my school, also working as a teacher trainer. This is a paradox, but mostly in Italian Licei a real culture of cooperation is missing: the time to collaborate effectively is never scheduled to run.
My main professional goal this year is exctly to increase the opportunities to work effectually in significant projects, also because I have the role of "digital animator".

Aishling, Ireland

aishlingdrogheda — 2016-11-14 22:46:54 UTC

I agree that time is definitely a challenge.
I love the idea of collaboration in a school across different subjects.

Angelamaria Galderisi, Italy

soleemare_a — 2016-11-14 22:48:13 UTC

The online courses I have been attending since last June have given to me the opportunity to experience collaboration among peers outside school. I have really appreciated the peer-to-peer learning in a safe environment, where I could get critical feedback from others and then incorporate that feedback in my revised lesson. I have no experience of collaboration outside my school, but in my own context I collaborate with teachers in my own subject group developing common teaching strategies for common objectives and competences.

Alex_PT

teacheralex_dua — 2016-11-14 23:58:48 UTC

There are many and varied benefits of teacher collaboration – just like for the students, working collaboratively in the workplace or from home is an added value for the present time and also for the future. Its benefits have often been highlighted before, but let me share a list of 44 benefits for students...that’s what we are as lifelong learners and it’s therefore for us.
http://www.gdrc.org/kmgmt/c-learn/44.html

As for the challenges, well, we all face time and place constraints at least, though, when there’s a will there’s a way…not only within our department but also among others. Above all, how can we expect our sts to work collaboratively if we don't set the example / model it?

Anita M. Italy

2016-11-15 07:14:11 UTC

I found interesting what prof.Butler said about teaching collaboration on thema based .Sometimes is hard finding a "crossed link" between different learning departements .Collaborate around a thema is really a practical solution .All teachers can compare each other and share their experiences .In my school we take part in a subject group and we plan each month what we have to do together.There's a coordinator who collects and organizes our ideas , suggestions and lesson plans. I think the role of coordinator is essential to make productive and concrete what we're gonna do.Till now I had experience of that just in the schools where I worked .But I think very challengeful having a co-lab like this in Eu school Academy.It's an opportunity to have a look outside and thinking about my own reality .

Olgica, Serbia

olgicaspasojevic — 2016-11-15 08:40:10 UTC

Teacher collaboration is one of the best ways of proffessional development. You can get more practical advices from your colegues than from books or professional development trainings.

Lidia, Romania

lidiaristea2004 — 2016-11-15 08:43:29 UTC

During class activities but also extracurricular I work with other colleagues from other curricular areas, in projects that are carried out, work different depending on the age of the students but also the complexity of the tasks.

Helly, Vienna

h_swaton — 2016-11-15 09:50:06 UTC

In my school we have teams for each level of education. So all colleagues who have lessons in the same level of education design the substance of content and the tests at the beginning of the school year. We would like to have time to discuss once a week- but it is very difficult to find a time slot.

Elisabetta, SA

anicia1 — 2016-11-15 11:39:52 UTC

I have never collaborated with other teachers. We meet up, talk about the materials we are using, share some new interesting task, but never really collaborate. For me, as a novice, it would be much easier to connect with colleagues around the world who can share their expertise with me and learn from them, before trying to engage with my colleagues here. Another aspect is the distance of South Africa from the rest of the world. That's why I think to interact with other students and teachers from other countries or continents would have a tremendous impact on my students. It would mean to tear down walls they think too high even to climb.

Cinzia F., Italy

nicomd — 2016-11-15 11:57:15 UTC

In my school I collaborate with other teachers of the same subject in the language department for the curriculum or to plan school projects. I collaborate also with teachers of other subjects because school projects are often cross curricular, like in twinning projects , for example. However I think that we need to implement this model in our school because there are still a lot of teachers who work individually.

Valerica-Romania

dvaly2010 — 2016-11-15 12:00:03 UTC

I like collaborating with colleagues from different countries. It is interesting to share ideas, experiences. Indeed , courses like this one ( about Collaborative Teaching and Learning ) bring together many participants and it is useful to read and hear from their experience. At school we collaborate for school projects , or when we share our experiences.

Kimberley Edwards, Ireland

2016-11-15 12:06:03 UTC

I think collaborating with other teachers on a cross-curricular basis is very beneficial. The biggest challenge I sometimes find is time to meet up and discuss. We collaborate during free classes, at lunch or via social media.

Maria Panou/ Kalymnos, Greece

maria_themelis — 2016-11-15 12:30:49 UTC

I've met very nice personalities, teachers of every country of Europe as collaborating about for etwinning projects or at courses of Coursera, FutureLearn of EUN Academy with and I've made very good friends. I 've also earned a lot about learning collaborating, learning many ways to acces digital literacy and tools for using to my classroom and I 'm grateful to them.

Elisabete Carvalho, Olga Seabra, Paula Cavadas, Paula Usha_Portugal

2016-11-15 13:11:54 UTC

Without a doubt, collaborative work among teachers is fundamental to the success of an educational community. To do this, it is necessary to know if in a school we have a volunteer set of teachers to perform this type of work. Secondly it is indispensable to create a space in the teachers' schedule to carry out the different collaborative activities. Finally, it is vital to find a group of teachers that will be comfortable to co-observe other teachers in the classroom.

It is interesting to note that in addition to the collaboration between teachers in the same area, there is also a call for articulation between disciplinary areas, which makes the work and the tasks to be applied in the classroom much richer.

This will be the ultimate goal in terms of collaborative work, to enable teachers at a school to jointly develop tasks by articulating knowledge and developing in students a taste for this type of work.

Nehir ÇABUKER

nehircabuker — 2016-11-15 13:31:37 UTC

It s good idea that I havent heard before about, collaboration is not only between student or teachers, it s also between subjects, topics etc.

Mimma, Italy

mimma_gioia — 2016-11-15 14:34:49 UTC

Collaboration enables to get feedback from others and to become an effective modeller of collaboration because students see you working with teachers. It is a way of sharing strategies, experiences and culture.

Mirjana Jovanovic, Serbia

mirjana_jovanovic_ns — 2016-11-15 14:38:49 UTC

A couple of years ago, in my school teachers set up collaboration across themes. There have been a few of them until now: Radiation - from the aspect of biology, physics, philosophy; Fractals - collaboration among teachers of biology, art and mathematics... Those activities enables both students and teachers to develop their learning and teaching skills.

Elisabete Carvalho, Olga Seabra, Paula Cavada, Paula Usha_Portugal

2016-11-15 14:44:24 UTC

Sophia Kouzouli

sophiakouz — 2016-11-15 15:26:03 UTC

Getting feedback
Design a project together
Challenges
Time to collaborate
Timetable

Numerous tools that we can use
Build in opportunities outside of school day

Collaboration across themes

Serena Visai, italy

2016-11-15 15:55:55 UTC

Working in a really small school, sometimes you feel and you are really alone! I work on the Erasmus project which involve teachers across age groups and gives us the chance to work with other european colleagues. I can’t wait to visit their school and learn some new teaching ideas. �l��g��/-

emma giurlani, Italy

2016-11-15 16:14:32 UTC

I have experienced the huge opportunity offered by collaboration among students and teachers thanks eTwinning projects and Erasmus+ projects. Within our school environment we often had to face difficulties and it has been sometimes a challenge to create real opportunities for concrete collaboration inside our school. Nevertheless we have been sharing concrete innovating learning and teaching opportunities. We got critical feedback from each other building at the same time real occasions to designing also tasks together . I really enjoy it every time when we collaborate to develop new ideas for new projects involving students and parents ..moving beyond the classroom. I do not know if we have thus become modeller of real collaboration but surely we tried to overcome boundaries and we, students and teacher enjoyed it a lot learning from and with each other

Maria and Anna, Italy

mariadecarlo — 2016-11-15 16:52:12 UTC

It's very interesting to collaborate between teachers because it also helps to collaborate between pupils. But unfortunately there is still a lot to do ... we need a cultural change as well as the digital tools available in our school.

Anna and Maria, Italy

annagrignetti — 2016-11-15 16:52:19 UTC

It's very interesting to collaborate between teachers because it helps to collaborate beetween pupils. But unfortunately there is still a lot to do....we need a cultural change as well as digital tools available in our school!

Richard, Brussels

2016-11-15 17:39:01 UTC

Working collaboratively with teachers within the various schools that I have worked in has always been a positive experience. It works best when time is actually built into the working week where genuine collaboration can take place. This provides opportunities to plan, asses and evaluate together. It challenges old thinking and really encourages teachers to provide the best learning experiences for children at all times.

In my current school, I collaborate vertically with the teachers in my section, and horizontally with the teachers who teach at the same stage as me. This is always a positive: even when ideas are challenged and when ideas clash. As long as we all focus on what is best for the children, then we work well.

The best collaborative teachers relationship I currently have is with my teaching partner. Always challenging one another to improve upon what we do, and to ensure we are always assessing that we are meeting the needs of the children in the best possible way. We are even doing this course at the same time!

Finally, taking part in this course is the most valuable way in which I have tried to collaborate with teachers outside my own school.

José María Díaz, Spain

josemaria_diazfuentes — 2016-11-15 19:05:25 UTC

Great Dr Deirdre! I loved:
" You can design really deep meaningful, authentic learning environments that move beyond the classroom. And that you yourself then become an effective modeller of collaboration. Because your students see you, not only working in isolation, but actually working with teachers in a department in school, across the school, across nations, across boundaries… So you really become a real, true collaborator"

Sarah Mallia, Malta

sarahborg85 — 2016-11-15 19:07:41 UTC

I agree with the benefits and challenges mentioned by Professor Butler and I could see myself whilst she was talking. Another challenge that I would like to add that sometimes when we are using Skype the internet connection is very weak and it is very frustrating. I tend to collaborate with the same year group as mine.

Clara Abegão, Portugal

acjesus — 2016-11-15 19:24:08 UTC

I agree with everything Professor Butler highlighted, because collaboration between teachers can actually build an effective community of practice. I collaborate with colleagues that are teaching the same course and we design activities in a way to involve all students, from different years. But I can say it´s very difficult to find the time out of school day. I have been working in Erasmus and eTwinning projects for several years, I get involved in MOOCs and I can say it “shaped” me a lot, and I learn out to face some challenges with the use of technology and collaborative tools.

Giuseppe/Italy

profgcorsaro — 2016-11-15 19:54:35 UTC

I need someone in my school that build the collaboration culture

Jasna Šojer/Croatia

jasna_sojer — 2016-11-15 20:15:35 UTC

In every etwinning project I try to involve colleagues from my school but very often they are not interested. But those who join and start to work with EU colleagues enjoy.

Roberta Scarselli

2016-11-15 20:55:33 UTC

Italy
Collaborating amongst teacher is very important and useful. First of all it allows schools to have a nice and involving environment and it implies feeling engaged and part of a group that works in a positive way. Right now I am working with very collaborative colleague. I feel part of our team and share with them any part of the scholastic year, of projects, of new challenges

Lucrezia Di Molfetta Italy

edimol — 2016-11-15 20:58:30 UTC

Teachers' collaboration is rewarded by increased student achievement and professional development.

Emiliana, Italy

emiliana_rufo — 2016-11-15 21:08:02 UTC

I try to involve other teachers in shared activities. I use technologies in my lessons and with students so I support my colleagues to do the same. Sometimes we shared common topics to develop with different points of view. I organized coding activities by involving every class of my school.

João Sá, Portugal

joaosa — 2016-11-15 22:19:47 UTC

Marta, Portugal

istruka — 2016-11-15 23:29:35 UTC

I think it would be very interesting collaborating with teachers from all over the world and one of the benefits would be, without a doubt combining the different cultures and ways of addressing the same problem. On the other hand, using new technologies to get this collaboration work motivates both the students and the teachers, because then we are entering in the new school of the XXI century.

João Reigado, Portugal

2016-11-15 23:41:59 UTC

I fully agree with the benefits that Professor Butler’s mentioned, of which the following are noteworthy: critical feedback, self-reflection concerning entrenched beliefs, risk assumption and collaborative teaching production. As a music teacher, I’ve been taking some opportunities to collaborate with different teachers. In our school we have a music project carried-out outside the classroom that aims to promote the practice of popular music and that works on the basis of the collaboration between three different teachers. Also, as a preschool music teacher I collaborate with preschool educators, articulating learning contents. Collaboration with colleagues from outside the school has also occurred. Specifically, I participated in a collaborative project that involved music students, elderly nursing home users who learnt to play the cavaquinho (a Portuguese folk instrument), and their teacher. After some joint rehearsals, this partnership culminated in a public presentation of some musical themes that were played together, which occurred outside the school, in the annual city festival.

CÁTIA SANTOS - PORTUGAL

badkat187 — 2016-11-16 00:30:47 UTC

My school supports collaborative work, and all the teachers in my area have time together to prepare activities. The problem is even the teachers who do not want to have work nor are willing to change their method. Even so once a year the day of the discipline is realized and there the work is done in collaboration.
I work more with teachers from other areas, but through work at home and at the time of class meetings, which the school also gives. So I usually work with groups between 9 and 12 years old.

Petra, USA

drpe — 2016-11-16 04:28:26 UTC

Yes, I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. Finding the time on top of everything else is a challenge. We do not have any scheduled time slots during the school day that would allow discussions about collaboration. An additional challenge is the skepticism some colleagues express who don’t want to give up any of their tried-and-true content in favor of an experiment. (Sigh.) An additional benefit is increased intercultural understanding. In my school, I’ve collaborated with teachers in my own subject (across age groups), with other foreign language teachers, history teachers (across themes), and teachers from the Arts Dept. in the Arts Across the Curriculum program. Outside of my school, I collaborated with other foreign language teachers.

Isabella Santoro

issabella1 — 2016-11-16 04:55:25 UTC

With our experience we can help our collegues to build the collaboraton culture in Italian secondary schools. Sharing ideas and experiences, peer- to peer Learning (not only for students, but also for teachers!) are very important for our work.

Vanesa, Croatia

2016-11-16 07:26:42 UTC

I totally agree with the benefits and challenges Professor Butler talked about. I try to collaborate with other teachers as much as can, especially with my EFL colleagues, Computer science teachers as well as geography teachers.

Kateryna Kramnychna, Ukraine

rocksy_12 — 2016-11-16 08:02:20 UTC

I totally agree with all the benefits and challenges. And I suppose the problem of all teachers is finding free time to do something great!

Cristina Paliotes, Portugal

2016-11-16 10:06:47 UTC

Learning from one another is undoubtedly challenging and enriching. Engaging colleagues in collaborative learning activities is an example to follow, it is not easy, because we still have to build a school for an environment supporting the collaborative culture. But nothing is impossible, we must try and fail to start over again.

Ana Franco, Barcelos, Portugal

ana_lufranco — 2016-11-16 11:00:46 UTC

I agree with everything that Professor Deirdre Butler presented as benefits and challenges.

In the school where I work, this culture is not ingrained. Neither between peers nor between different departments which also seems to me to be the result of some lack of vision and will of the installed powers.

Examples of collaboration with other countries and cultures seem fantastic to me. I want to have time to explore and participate in all this kind of activities.

Katarzyna Kwiatek-Grabarska, Poland

2016-11-16 11:05:24 UTC

I completely agree with the outlined benefits of mutual cooperation. As I have mentioned many times before I has been working with colleagues from school, home and abroad in order to seek the best ideas and solutions.

Hülya, TURKEY

hulyaos31 — 2016-11-16 11:23:39 UTC

BENEFITS OF COLLABORATIVE TEACHING: You can get critical feedback from others in a trusted environment. you can design really deep meaningful, authentic learning. environments that move beyond the classroom. And that you yourself then become an effective modeller of collaboration. Because your students see you, not only working in isolation, but actually working with teachers in a department in school, across the school, across nations, across boundaries… So you really become a real, true collaborator.CHALLENGES OF COLLABORATIVE TEACHING: sometimes it is difficult to find time to collaborate with one another. Difficult to align your timetables; sometimes schools can’t build in time for teachers to collaborate within the school environment.

Jesus Leão, Portugal

2016-11-16 11:32:05 UTC

I completely agree with Professor Butler when she lists the benefits of collaborative work, namely:

being able to collaborate in a safe environment;
be able to obtain critical feedback;
challenge each other;
encourage risk-taking;
share what you learn;
designing tasks together;
have real, meaningful and authentic learning;
build a community of practice.

However, I also agree with the highlighted challenges:

find time to collaborate;
align teacher schedules;
convince many teachers to look at the technology and tools available;
work together in collaboration;
really build the school in an environment that supports the collaborative culture.

Personally I try, whenever possible, to challenge, encourage and involve my colleagues in this type of work.It is not easy because it is not part of the school culture and teachers feel tired and unmotivated. But little by little, more and more are working collaboratively, as they realized the benefits they can have.In my context, collaboration occurs at the disciplinary group level and when it comes to topics relevant to the whole school.

Catia, Sweden

katyfpr — 2016-11-16 12:50:53 UTC

I completely agree with the benefits that Professor Butler stated. Learn from our colleagues will help us to develop a lot . Share lesson plans and switch it it will help us to understand what needs to be improved.
Due to many factors such as different schedules, bureaucratic issues, and so on... it became difficult for teachers to find time, most of the staff wants to find collaboration time within school time, so what I think that will help students to collaborate more is the manager team add this time on school's time frame .

Sofia, Portugal

sofia_bailo — 2016-11-16 13:30:47 UTC

I strongly agree with the benefits and challenges mentioned by Prof. Butler.
In my school I collaborate with teachers in my own subject - English - and with foreign language teachers - French and Spanish. I've also collaborated with teachers from the Arts Department (across themes).
Unfortunately teachers don't have enough time to sit together to discuss and design tasks.
I also think it would be a great experience to collaborate with teachers from all over the world.

PaulaGomes-Portugal

2016-11-16 13:37:40 UTC

Yes, I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler.
It is interesting to share ideas and experiences.

Heidi Belgium

heidischrijversterbeuke — 2016-11-16 13:47:09 UTC

Certainly usefull. Sometimes looking at it from a different point of view (by a different person) can bring you new idea's. And if someone already made a project/work that is working and adding value, why shouldnt you share it?
I think that we should learn to be more open to let other teachers into our classroom. Often I hear that teachers don't feel comfortable letting other teachers in. I also believe that working with teachers from other schools and even other countries could also bring huge benefits, and values.

Anna La Montagna, Italy

2016-11-16 14:47:47 UTC

I fully agree with the Professor and the biggest challenge is really the misalignment of working hours. I am a teacher of an Italian upper secondary school and I work for 18 hours a week at school with students and other 80 hours per year distributed in class councils, teachers colleges, departmental meetings, ... in the afternoon. Every time in the classroom and in the departments advice I seek cooperation of other colleagues to participate for example in eTwinning projects or other national and international projects such as the Olympics of the natural sciences.
I hope that in this new school can finally be able to have a real partnership which I believe is essential to promote then in our students the collaboration and the teamwork, following all the useful tips that I'm learning in this course. 
I was able this year to enroll in the eTwinning platform also colleagues of my old schools that they have fear of English language, so if it is possible we could be able to collaborate on the net and vertically.

Yes, I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler.

vbaksiene — 2016-11-16 16:24:08 UTC

Tina M

tinamellos — 2016-11-16 17:02:32 UTC

Tina M_Macedonia Greece

tinamellos — 2016-11-16 17:02:32 UTC

I agree with the benefits as well as the challenges met Prof. Butler has outlined. I usually collaborate with teachers across age groups and themes, not only of my own subject group.

Vitalija, Lithuania

2016-11-16 17:51:49 UTC

Yes, I really agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor
Butler. As I am a teacher of English, usually I collaborate with other English teachers at my school or in our region. That is collaboration with teachers both in and outside school.Sometimes we collaborate across age groups, sometimes across themes relevant to all of us. Once I shared my lesson plan with my younger colleaque and when she had conducted the lesson according to my plan, she gave me a feedback of the lesson, said what she had accepted, what she had added to the plan and how she was successful

Astrid Hulsebosch

AstridVE — 2016-11-16 17:59:43 UTC

It's nearly impossibile to don't be agree with Dreide Butler, personally I got a lot of benefit by the support of my colleagues online, they helped me to doesn't give up and keeping up my motivation. In the beginning sometimes I was sad when I saw people doesnt want to share...silently I got one and nowardays more and more colleagues are curious and start with questions...

Catarina Rodrigues, Portugal

canrodrigues — 2016-11-16 18:46:05 UTC

I entirely agree with Professor Butler. However I think that teachers need to have time in common to collaborate with each other inside their school. Even in the same group there are always people that prefer to work alone.
Sometimes I think to myself that it's easier to collaborate outside of school...

Camelia, Romania

2016-11-16 19:01:07 UTC

I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. In mt school time is the main challenge because our school has three buildings that are not very close to each other so the time schedule is very busy. The opportunities that I have been able to take advantage are the monthly meetings between language teachers from my school or outside of school once a semester.

Paulo Martins_Portugal

2016-11-16 19:43:02 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler on the benefits and challenges in teacher collaboration. I am in this course to get some know-how on the matter so that I can be able to go to the next stage and collaborate with other teachers, design tasks together to implement them in our classrooms/schools. In my case we collaborate one another in the end of the school year in our meetings, when we are preparing the next school year, when we are planning classes in our Primary School Department. We collaborate when we are preparing special days at school. The kindergarten, Primary School teachers and parents gather and plan some activities like the World Food Day, Christmas… In my Primary School we collaborate one another sharing: materials, learning strategies… But we have to go forward and build the school environment that supports the culture of collaboration.

Antonia, Netherlands

chanja — 2016-11-16 20:42:02 UTC

Our school has just started the discussion of teacher collaboration on an interdisciplinary level. So not just collaboration with teacher teaching the same subject but also with teachers teaching different subjects. So it is all fresh. Taking this course will hopefully help me to start and complete a first project collaborating with a colleague.

Jaime Martins, Portugal

joncmartins — 2016-11-16 20:44:21 UTC

I entirely agree with Professor Butler. I use to collaborate with other teachers in my own subject group or other groups. I also work in European Projects with a group of teachers belonging to several subjects groups. That's the only way to form an ideal Team to develop any Project. I also know that there are many teachers that don't like, don't feel comfortable to let other teachers in their classrooms. I personally don't mind.

Ana Pinheiro

air_pinheiro — 2016-11-16 22:05:41 UTC

What to do when there is no time for teachers to collaborate in school and do not want to collaborate outside the collaborative environment using tools and digital platforms?What to do?

Ângela and Tânia, Portugal

taniaalves23 — 2016-11-16 22:33:05 UTC

We agree with Professor Butler's approach. All the work done on the basis of partnership is enriching, because everyone involved gains from sharing experiences.
We collaborate with our colleagues from the same school and with others from other schools.

Isabel Nunes, Portugal

2016-11-17 00:52:08 UTC

Collaborative learning among teachers is very enriching ... allows a wider reflection of the activity of each ... the benefits are many, and drags a variety of challenges. “Within the school environment itself, sometimes it is difficult to find time to collaborate with one another. Difficult to align your timetables; sometimes schools can’t build in time for teachers to collaborate within the school environment.”

However the digital tools are a means to overcome many of the challenges...

Sandra, Portugal

sandra_alves_ — 2016-11-17 10:10:44 UTC

I entirely agree with Professor Butler.
My school is starting the process of encouraging collaborative learning. Both at the level of students and at the level of teachers, creating spaces and times for collaborative work at the interdisciplinary level.
It is a process that will take some time, we will have to overcome many obstacles so that we can benefit from all the benefits of teaching collaboration.

Cristiana, Portugal

cristianafreire — 2016-11-17 10:15:55 UTC

I agree with the benefits presented Professor Deirdre Butler (the usefulness of peer reviews, collaborating in a safe environment, and building an effective community of practice) but I think of them as "the ideal". The reality of our schools is different: colleagues with very different availabilities to be able to carry forward such significant changes, huge student groups, overloaded schedules that, most of the times, do not allow us to meet in order to prepare activities together, or to attend classes of colleague, deficit in computer equipment and internet networks ...

As I mentioned in the previous post, in the school where we work we are starting this path, slowly but with a lot of desire to change. We design collaborative tasks, peer review and feedback, but few people are motivated by this methodology.

Ana, Portugal

2016-11-17 10:58:52 UTC

I totally agree with the benefita ans challenges Professor Butler highlights. The difficulties I face in my school are those pointed out and besides havinf a class hour to be with people from my Department seldom it is used to do real collaborative work. One of the challenges is presenting them the web tools because they are relutant to use them.
However, I'm having a great opportunity in participating and coordinating in my school an Erasmus+ Project with seven other country partners - a real collaborative work is being done but most of the teachers in my school don't want to get engaged.
As a Teacher Librarian I offer my help to collaborate with all the teachers and subject departments at school but they hardly ever accept my invitations...

Svetlana, Estonia

svetlana_dychen — 2016-11-17 11:45:53 UTC

Yes, agree. Benefits are teacher*s experience Exchange, cultural Exchange, new tools (
Technologies) Exchange. I have used collaboration at different levels - from school level to International level E-Twinning, InGenious and many others

Sara Gamito, Portugal

sgamito — 2016-11-17 15:24:55 UTC

Costas Moschonas

2016-11-17 16:40:42 UTC

I have collaborated with teachers from other subjects than mine in order to make projects. It was a great experience.

DEBORA

debora_defina — 2016-11-17 16:52:49 UTC

the key-word "collaboration" is at the base of all good works both inside and outside of school. It is the key of a sure success.

Mina/Italy

ponzianomina — 2016-11-17 16:56:21 UTC

Completely agree. Professor Butler turned in words my thoughts. Nevertheless my school reality is different.
This year I'm trying to collaborate with other teachers on the same topic in my school and I think it's the first time.I'm leading the team and we are planning on "curriculum mapping"
I usually cooperate virtually outside the school on my own subject with European schools on the etwinning platform and some years ago in an amazing Comenius project. I can tell that they always are positive experiences that really "energise me".

Ljiljana Lez-Drnjevic, Croatia

2016-11-17 17:14:54 UTC

Agree with Professor Butler but often there are some obstacles in our school reality - just like Cristiana from Portugal said: "The reality of our schools is different: colleagues with very different availabilities to be able to carry forward such significant changes, huge student groups, overloaded schedules that, most of the times, do not allow us to meet in order to prepare activities together, or to attend classes of colleague, deficit in computer equipment and internet networks ..."

Maria Teresa / Italy

teresarughi — 2016-11-17 17:23:54 UTC

I have experienced the benefits of collaboration mentioned by Prof. Butler, in particular the idea that a positive feedback energizes you. I hardly ever find collaboration inside my school where most teachers are still reluctant towards ICT and sharing with colleagues. I have found more collaboration across nations, thanks to etwinning and in MOOCs like this one. But unfortunately at school it is sometimes also difficult to carry out a Skyping session with students because of a very poor connection.I also appreciated the idea of collaboration through themes and not through subjects. Moreover a stimulating tip is that there could be one class period, common among departments; a free class where everybody coul meet together and look at the things they have in common. But my school environment is still far away from supporting the culture of collaboration.

Paola, Italy

2016-11-17 18:57:48 UTC

Yes, of course: it’s very useful to teach together. In my experience every time I teached with colleagues I found many interesting new ideas to develop.

Ana, Portugal

anasalonso — 2016-11-17 19:03:48 UTC

Collaborative work among teachers is fundamental to the success of an educational community. It has so many benefits. But it is necessary to create an educational environment where it can be more practice. Of course it takes time, it is a challenge, it is necessary to find time for it and sometimes it is quite difficult collaborating outside of the school. In my school, we have the opportunity to collaborate with other subjects, themes and different years that we don't teach. However I specially collaborate with colleagues that teach the same subject as I do. We share ideas and articulate them to all the different years of teaching.

Merle, Estonia

merle_pahn — 2016-11-17 19:15:01 UTC

I absolutly agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. Its very important to collaborate with teachers from your own school or outside. I have very good colleques with whom I can discuss and plan collaboration.

Anabela Gonçalves, José Rui Ferreira and Teresa Fonseca, Portugal

2016-11-17 19:27:09 UTC

From students’ point of view, we have to say that the biggest benefit would be the possibility to create real, deep, engaging collaborative learning activities. By becoming an effective modeler of collaboration, the teacher can take advantage of his/her personal network and design cross-disciplinary activities, for example, in or outside the school environment. The tips given by Professor Butler, e.g. creating a class period that’s built-in that is common across the department or having a common timeslot across a year group within all departments so that they could come together and collaborate on a big task, seemed very interesting and a nice way to start build a school environment that supports the culture of collaboration.

In or school, we
collaborate in our subject group – we plan units together, we prepare summative
tests together, we design group assignments together, we set criteria for
assessing students together…

Carla Mansilha - Portugal

cmansilha — 2016-11-17 19:50:29 UTC

Like Deidre said: “Within the school environment itself, sometimes it is difficult to find time to collaborate with one another. Difficult to align your timetables; sometimes schools can’t build in time for teachers to collaborate within the school environment.(…) It is tremendously important if a school decides to take this on board, and actually build the school environment that supports the culture of collaboration; perhaps there could be one class period built-in that is common across a department.” It’s a great idea and i really hope that becomes reality in our country!

Emilia/Romania

Emilia_T22 — 2016-11-17 20:39:32 UTC

Professor D. Butler is right.I appreciate her explanations and ideas.I think it's easier to collaborate with other teachers outside your school I mean in Etwinning projects or other international teachers than with those from your school. As Carla mentioned here the lack of time , difficulty of timetable, a busy curriculum, too much paper work from our school impede our collaboration.

Heidi, Germany

2016-11-17 20:41:55 UTC

Heidi, Germany

2016-11-17 20:42:00 UTC

I agree with professor Butler that with collaborative learning in my school there are benefits like working on authentic problems, working with partners all over Europe and even all over the world. When I meet my colleagues of 6th year we often plan our lessons together and also see what we can do crosscurricularly. This is a really good collaboration. I also collaborate with my european partners in an etwinning project and the challenge is to find parallel courses to meet live with our students, maybe also in different time zones. But we always manage, exchanging courses with colleagues etc.

Olga Keramida-Greece

2016-11-17 20:45:13 UTC

I agree there are benefits and challenges too.

Sabrina Petrillo, ITALY

2016-11-17 20:47:18 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler's ideas which are always a reference point for our discussions.
In my opinion CLIL activities may enable subject and language teachers to work collaboratively if a number of hours per week are available. Of course the amount of collaboration with my subject teaching colleagues is definitely larger, both when we discuss informally in the staff room and during meetings about curriculum content or materials to share. Moreover, in our school we have introduced “The Digital Cafè” recently: we teachers meet periodically in a school room after the lessons and work together in creating activities while having coffee together.

Ana Fernandes, Portugal

apmfm — 2016-11-17 22:00:11 UTC

I totally agree with the benefits and challenges of teacher collaboration highlighted by Professor Butler.
Taking into consideration my experience, I'd just add "highlight the lack of time of teachers to collaborate in scholar environment. The timetables/schedules are too fullfilled and lots of tasks are given to teachers besides teaching classes. So, a big part of the collaborative work takes place outside the scholar environment through the use of the internet.
Outside school I've worked collaboratively in seminars, training workshops, etc. In school, with teachers from my own subject group or from other disciplinary groups in joint activities such as field trips, works exhibitions, theatres, etc.

Ana Chambel, Portugal (made in colaboration with Cristina Paliotes)

aachambel — 2016-11-17 22:15:59 UTC

Carlos Silva, Portugal

2016-11-17 23:44:37 UTC

I agree with the point of view of Professor Butler, it´s a kind of inspiration to reach further. It´s still a great challenge, for me, feel that i´m able to be a designer of autentic learning environments with these collaborative tools. I´m able to invite some teachers to try some collaborative experiences at school. Myself I will try to use some collaborative learning tools in my class with the students. If I can not find some support between my colleagues, I know I can find outside of the school, and if necessary, outside of the country. I have already some collaborative experiences across themes of my subject group with teachers of other subject group, but not with these kind of methods giving importance to the real collaborative skills.

Jana, Germany

oldpadlet — 2016-11-18 07:32:05 UTC

I do agree with the benefits and challenges but... - Beware. Rant ahead. - The suggestions we get from the video are really out of this world. School administrations are not willing to provide time and space. Here in Berlin, they are busy (not) repairing school roofs and toilets. We don't even have the possibility for a hot meal. Our longest break is 25 min. and we frequently have to supervise during break time. Sure, we can stay up late and invest our free time into collaboration (which I do a lot). However, I get quite upset that we are meant to work on a flatrate sort of basis. I have been asked too many times why I do this if I don't get paid neither for the time I invest nor for my upgraded competencies. Students' smiles should not be the ultimate way to measure success.

Giovanna, Italy

giovanna_biceg1 — 2016-11-18 07:33:07 UTC

In my school collaboration between teachers is quite difficult because people are more concentrated on the curriculum to experience new approaches to teaching. I'm currently trying to show my colleagues the advantages of collaboration between students and as a second step I will work on collaboration between teachers.

Elisabetta, Italy. While listening to all these expert teachers in the videos at this course, I have noticed how rarely they mention their collaboaration with Italy and Italian teachers. Apart from Anna Laghigna who is one of the top teachers and one of the main operator of this MOOC, Italian teachers seem to be somehow in direstrite when asked or requested to work collaboratively with one another or to organize projects. This is not a deep criticism towards the category. It is simple a fact. Italian teachers are collaborative as well as creative, skilled and willing to be involved. Unfortunately, these last few years the School Education System has been reformed twice, and this aspects has created some difficulties in reorganizing curricula, methodologies, teaching and learning styles. This may be one of the reasons why several Italian teachers sadly admit their difficulties in collaborating and cooperation with one another ad ewith other

elisabettamarigo1 — 2016-11-18 09:32:23 UTC

Thomas, Austria

2016-11-18 10:36:23 UTC

Collaborating with other teachers can be very challenging sometimes, especially when they concentrate on "what they have to do told by the curriculum"; so you have to find incentives to "persuade" colleagues to collaborate.
From my point of view you might be able to succeed if you can pin-point those areas where everybody benefits (e.g. work on lesson plans, mid-term plans or year plan) collaboratively.
One (amongst many others of course) assignment of education (in general) is to make our students ready for life - so if you work collaboratively with others you may actually be able to create deep, meaningful, authentic learning environments that move beyond the classroom (e.g. if you work on earthquakes and you actually can collaborate with a classroom/children from a region where earthquakes already happened and they already have experienced earthquakes you can access "first-hand" information and to my mind it won't get any better than that).

Lívia, PT

liviasor — 2016-11-18 11:01:50 UTC

Collaborative teaching and learning is about challenging yourself and others. That's true! And challenge, mostly, your students. It's hard work, I can tell you that. You must be prepared, prepare others and make it work. It was mentioned in the video that we should build a school of collaboration and to do that we need a supportive school culture. Probably we should begin right there! I like collaboration because I like having feedback. I like giving feedback, mainly to my students. I design lessons with my students too, not only with my colleagues. We have some collaboration in our group. We don't meet often because of time, but we work with the same aim, trying to reach the same outcomes. The processes are different because classes are different too. Sometimes I move beyong the classroom. I prepare field trips abroad and there's a lot of collaboration with students and teachers involved. I created a group on facebook to prepare the raising funds activities. I gave my students the necessary tools, and helped them developing some skills, to prepare parties, sales at markets and fairs, events, etc. Now they can almost do everything by themselves. I'm proud of them. In the past, I designed tasks together with teachers on eTwinning using google docs. It was a good experience. Opportunities to collaborate can be created by us!

Arnaud Perrier, France

2016-11-18 12:12:38 UTC

It is difficult often to find time with all the teachers of the school to get to the point, for example on programs. Everyone already has his plans and ideas led and it can be unsettling to stop to listen, share, try. A pretty great experience I lived was to meet other teachers from all over Europe at a workshop for professional development through eTwinning in Rhodes. We were more than 130 to Exchange, share, debate. It was a great opportunity to learn from others.

Mafalda Lapa, Portugal

lapa_mafalda — 2016-11-18 12:57:17 UTC

I totally agree with Professor Butler. Moreover I think that the extension of curricula are an obstacle for some teachers that are always focused on teaching the curricula has they have planed. I have a very good and different experience in the last 3 years. I am a biology teacher and I have founded an office in scholl (with 2 language teachers and, from this year on, also a sports teacher) and we help students from 15 to 18th years old to decide what university and course they should go (in Portugal and abroad). We also coach some students to get better grades or to solve some problems in their lifes outside school (that sometimes influence their performance in school). We also work whith partners in universities and institutes. We also have a project in the use of tablets in all subjects of two classes and we organize the teaching for this teachers. We have other projects, some in social causes. You can see our page in https://www.facebook.com/Guia-228455417292732/

Lúcia, Portugal

lucia_paulino — 2016-11-18 12:58:04 UTC

“Learning with and from each other” – this is something that we should always keep in mind. Why should we hold the good things we do to ourselves? Why don’t we share our trials and triumphs?Why don't we ask for advice when we have doubts about what to do? I believe that collaborating with one another is rather challenging but definitely enriching.

Making time for that collaboration is often a challenge and we need to have a school culture that fosters collaboration.

In my school there is some collaboration, although it is not a general practice. I collaborate with teachers in my own subject group and there are some cross curricular activities which involve teachers from different subjects. However, it is difficult to find the conditions to facilitate regular, meaningful collaboration.

Agata Kuźmiek - Poland

2016-11-18 13:24:38 UTC

Sometimes it is not easy to find time with teachers to get to make a point, a good example are topics programs. Most posiada Already plans and intentions. I learned about the variety of Teachers oo Different countries through workshops in Greece and Turkey. Information Exchange helps ALWAYS do a better cooperation from the students daily weight Labor.

Margarida Sousa PT

margaridaferin — 2016-11-18 13:30:24 UTC

I absolutelly agree with Professor Butler about the benefits of collaborating. I have always my door open to others, from parents to other teachers. I am used to work in collaboration since ever: in my subject group( we make all our tests, activities, grills,together),across themes ( I usually articulate with other subjects from Music to Maths) and even in national contests or projects. Last year I participated in a writing contest promoted by Fundação Callouste Gulbenkian. We wrote a stoy inspired in The Petit Prince of Saint Exupéry. The story was made in Portuguese class and illustrated in Art class.
I just wanted to have more time and free common time with my pairs.

Vitor M. N. Fernandes, Portugal

vmnf — 2016-11-18 14:41:28 UTC

Yes, one of most complex issues I am faced is to have a common slot to cooperate with other teachers. Our schedule is so full of different areas. I am a Computer Science teacher and only on our programming course we have 4 disciplines that go across 3 school years, thus 12 different levels are possible. (There even more since our department also teaches primary school and in other courses like the multimedia course.) Sometimes teachers are just facing the burden of preparing next class so all their free time is gone with that objective in mind. It even gets worst since most times they are alone teaching that theme.
Benefits are the possibilities given by observing other teachers experience and learning new ways to do the old same thing.
I've been trying to have a classroom to work with students and even with other teachers. That space is still not available, at least for InfoTech - Programming and Robotics club. Within school I have a mobile devices programming project with other two teachers, called Projecto Go! I tried last year to setup an eTwinning project but it did not work as expected... A lot to learn yet!
Yes, some collaboration is done but again, since most times each project is assigned a single discipline, the level of collaboration is low.

Maria Natália Couto, Portugal

2016-11-18 14:56:09 UTC

I agree with all the benefits mentioned by Professor Butler, though I think there many constraints in my country to collaborative work among teachers of the same institution. From my experience, I may say that sometimes people are so tired of heavy timetables and big classes that they are not able to open their minds to risk-taking experiences. As for my school most teachers are not comfortable with any kind of platforms (not even with moodle...) or collaborative experiences. I've tried really hard to implement collaborative work through eTwinning projects, but I was on my own and developing collaboration like that is really hard. So, collaboration must be an institutional policy and not some actions by any individuals. It is easier for me to collaborate within my personal network contacts that I have come across throughout my teaching career.

Conceição Varela / Portugal

conceicao_varela — 2016-11-18 15:29:17 UTC

Yes, I do agree. The benefits are very clear. The teacher becoming a collaboration model for his/her students is very important because it makes the students realise it is important to engage in collaborative work and because it provides the teacher with important experience learned from his/her own collaboration activities. As I already referred several times, we're just starting to implement collaborative activities at my school and, perhaps a bit naively, we've also trying ways of collaborating among us. We're doing this by designing together collaborative activities that go across two/three different areas of the curriculum. When the activities are carried out, the two/three teachers are together in the classroom to assist the students in collaborative work.

Elvia/ Italy

2016-11-18 15:41:47 UTC

I do agree with professor Deidre Butler and I think that collaboration helps generating new energy, for both teachers and students.
Technology is a big added value to that, because it
brings people together even if they are far apart and allows you to reinvigorate the ideas and minds, as well as spaces.

Giorgia, Romania

giorgiagroza — 2016-11-18 16:29:13 UTC

I agree that the collaborationa between teachers is the key of 21st century skills and bring us to a competitive educational siystem

Zeljka Korlevic, Croatia

mravak57 — 2016-11-18 16:54:48 UTC

I do agree, especially with generating new energy and bringing new ideas in our classrooms

Gisella de Liddo, italy

2016-11-18 18:27:47 UTC

I totally agree with professor Butler. I am very lucky because my school principal strongly supports innovations, but my colleagues are not always on the same length. Some are really strongly attached to the national curriculum, because they have studied that way and those topics and it is so much easier to continue the old way. I am optimistic, though, and believe things are changing, and fast!

Concetta Drago, Italy

concetta_drago — 2016-11-18 18:47:39 UTC

I agree that collaboration is very important nowdays. It increase motivations and professionality.

Maria Rita. sicily

mrseminerio — 2016-11-18 18:50:27 UTC

Totally agree, in fact I Work and collaborate with my collegue, like a "modulo" for italian word

Enrica Maragliano - Italy

EMGe — 2016-11-18 19:56:09 UTC

eTwinning is a wonderful example of this: teams of teachers collaborate locally at school and in a wider area that is Europe. In this way you can share your classes and lessons, for instance using Live! and organizing video-conferences or online games with Socrative or Kahoot!. In this way both teachers and students can benefit from collaboration, learn from each other, preparing new more engaging lessons with new approaches, ideas and tools. I collaborate a lot with my departments colleagues even if they usually don't take part to eTwinning projects and they are afraid of foreign languages and I collaborate with my colleagues in my class boards, especially with the teachers of foreign languages.

Arminda Pereira, Portugal

armindapereira1 — 2016-11-18 20:03:39 UTC

Collaboration begins with finding time to connect with colleagues, to share thoughts, and provide support. Three tips for successful collaboration are build relationships, find time to collaborate and share responsibility.

Build Relationships: The relationships we build with colleagues aren’t just good for your mental well being. they’re also the foundation of collaboration that can result in increased student achievement. Just like building relationships with students lays the groundwork for academic success, building relationships with colleagues lays the groundwork for effective collaboration.

Find Time to Collaborate: Shared planning time allows teachers to collaborate during the school day. With shared planning time, teachers are able to make strides in planning rigorous and appropriate lessons for their students.

Ideally teachers would have time in their school hours to work together. If this is not possible then we could form teams of teachers by year of schooling or by department. We should consider other ways of collaborating in and out of school. In my school we use email and google apps.

Share Responsibility: The best teacher teams complement each other. Share the responsibility for planning by dividing tasks based on your strengths and interests. When deciding how to share responsibility, consider these questions:

What do I enjoy planning? What does my colleague enjoy planning?
How much time do we have?
What makes sense to plan together? What could we plan separately?
How can we share our plans and get feedback from each other?

Successful collaborations happen when teachers work together to share the workload instead of doubling their efforts. From the delegation of tasks, teachers are also able to learn more from each other as they come back together to review and assemble their separate assignments into a cohesive lesson plan.

The first collaborative nucleus in a school is to disciplinary department. With my colleagues, we have defined a vertical design specification and common test to assess student skills. It is a first step towards a broader collaboration where to apply the many ideas found in these modules.

2016-11-18 20:32:00 UTC

Marino rosaria

Margherita- Italy

margheritabalistreri — 2016-11-18 21:01:29 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler about trying to collaboratively work outside school when it's not possible there.In our school at the beginning of the school year all departments of the different disciplines work together to develop work plans and topic modules to be used in class.We English teacher try to consider the technical topics our colleagues deal with which are involved in our lesson plans.So we do work collaboratively. In certain cases in class council we choose a topic which is linked to almost all subjects studied and we observe it from the different points of view.I 've never worked with groups of students of different age or other classes.

Cathal, Ireland

2016-11-18 21:13:02 UTC

As a student teacher who teaches once a week in a secondary school, it is very hard for someone like me to collaborate with other teachers in the school let alone teachers from other countries. Very few schools have a designated time for all members of a department to meet and its difficult to implement. I do agree that teachers can use time outside of the school environment to collaborate, however everyone's personal life is different and some have other responsibilities which make collaboration difficult.

I agree with Professor Butler. I colaborate with my collegues and this collaboration permit us to improve our teaching every day. We work together to project experimental lesson and to plan class activities

27luglio63 — 2016-11-18 21:45:19 UTC

Isabel Graça, Portugal

2016-11-18 21:50:51 UTC

I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. But I think most teachers will add the fact that their own children and family needs them from the moment they leave school. If we get home and get connected to work, when do we live our personal lives? The example of this MOOC experience is in fact important, but we all needed to put aside our personal lives or sleeping time. Are our students more important than our family, someone else’s students???

Francesca, Italy

francescagiala — 2016-11-18 22:43:54 UTC

It is important to find time for teaching collaborations.
Sharing experiences give us the awareness of our teaching. The digital tools that we can use, like Moodle, Padlet, skype, etc. are a great support for collaborative teaching.

María Napal, Spain

mnapalf — 2016-11-18 23:18:21 UTC

I have experienced some difficulties trying to collaborate with other teachers working in other countries, because our educative systems impose different objectives or criteria. Another difficulty are different school culture, with differences in avalable material and human resources, which make not easily transposable educative experiences

Cristina Rocha - Portugal

mcrisroch1 — 2016-11-19 00:17:44 UTC

I completely agree with professor Butler. Knowledge is not like a individual garden. We must work as a team to show our students that we are together. The learning as well as the failure, the surpassing the obstcales done together are easier and richer. We are planning together and sharing this experience at our scholl these days. It has been overwellming and at the same time very interesting. Once we plan together, we are prepared to try out the activity together too.

Jole, Sicily

jolecapo — 2016-11-19 08:31:06 UTC

Completely agree with Professor Butler. I'll try to apply greater collaboration with my colleagues.

Majella, Ireland

dempseybrian099 — 2016-11-19 10:53:25 UTC

Time for collaboration is an issue here in Ireland as the school day is busy. Leadership in schools has to recognise the value of teacher collaboration and give time for it. However, there is a need to build and develop the skills for collaboration. This needs to be addressed and supported also.

Antónia Brandão e José Ruão, PT

dolores_brandao — 2016-11-19 15:22:33 UTC

Yes, of course we agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. Based on our experiences we can see that the challenges are big. One enormous is finding time, as Professor Butler says. In fact schools, by tradition, don't provide time to that kind of work, most of teachers are not used to work with others teachers. These situation is changing and now we can hear the word collaboration all the time. Our headmaster, and some of us, are trying to apply the collaboration model and convince teachers of the benefits of collaboration between them and, as teachers are models to the students, they also are learning to adapt that methodology. However we collaborate both in and outside of school. We collaborate eventually with teachers in our own subject group having meets every fortnight to prepare classes and design assessment.

Michal

2016-11-19 15:28:54 UTC

I agree with what Professor Butler said. As for me, thanks to eTwinning, I have collaborated with lots of teachers from different countries. Collaborating with colleagues from my school is sometimes a bit difficult as many of them are not used to collaborating. However, some teachers are interested and we have worked together on some projects using cross-curricular links, we organised school events etc.

Helena Louzeiro, Portugal

2016-11-19 17:15:49 UTC

I totally with Professor Butler, but it's not easy to change. In many schools teachers are not used to work with other teachers and the first steps are difficult to give.
Fortunately my scholl colleague (and friend) brought me to this new world of collaborative work.
This kind of work has been very important to me personally and professionally. My students also benefit from this kind of work, because we pratice collaborative work in the classroom, with colleagues of school and colleagues from other schools.

Chaira Sabatini/Italy

chisab72 — 2016-11-19 17:49:55 UTC

Collaborating with other teachers in etwinning I learnt a lot both of new tools and new methods. I'm new in my school and it is not very easy to collaborate as everyone is always busy. Nevertheless we are able to collaborate with subject group teachers and we share ideas and materials, we also share point of views on how to teach to children with difficulties and/or special needs. i've started to collaborate with some teachers of my classes within etwinning projects especially with the teachers of art (for the logo) and of History and Geography. I hope this is a start!

Cristina/Pisa

2016-11-19 18:00:32 UTC

I do agree with Professor Butler about benefits and challenges of teacher collaboration. Surely, a way to solve the alck of time and the fact that timetables are not alligned with other teachers is to use digital tools. i work on cross-curricular projects because etwinning or Erasmus pojects our school is involved in pushes me and other colleagues to do that. Personally, when I see that sometimes collaboration is difficult, I focus on etwinning projects and there, opening outside the school, alwasy helps me to create opportunities for me and my students to practice collaborative, international, cross-curricular activities

Daniel Caridade, PT

dcaridade — 2016-11-19 21:02:35 UTC

As always Professor Butler is very assertive in her point of view. I agree entirely with her observations and suggestions. The main challenge is the time factor. How to manage to keep teaching classes and doing all the extracurricular activities we have and still find the time to engage with other collegues (from our school, or elsewhere) to find and develop collaborative projects? Being single, I find it a bit easier to get this accomplished, but I'm sensible to the argument of married collegues, with children, that have a lot other problems to manage in their life. I think that the answer might be in the need to change our understanding of work meetings. It would, probably, prove more efficient if we changed the way we engage one another while working together. It would be less time consuming if we changed our meetings to a less formal event, and engaged professionally in the videoconference method. Also the online platforms already in existence, when fully embraced, would be very useful to prevent wasting too much time. That would mean a different strategy inside the schools and the departments.

Sara Viotti,Italy

sara_viotti — 2016-11-19 21:21:19 UTC

I think Dr Butler is wright when talking about challenges of collaboration between teachers: I would not change any single word of her speech. However, in Italy the majority of teachers are over 45 and digital literracy is not so common in our schools. Only very recently the education policy has introduced digital skills in the compulsory professional development of teachers. I'm reading now Cristina's comment and there is in a certain way the confirmation of of my point of view: collaboration is difficult, because many teachers don't want change their of working.

Maria Rizza/ Sicily

2016-11-20 00:23:43 UTC

I am strongly convinced that when teachers are able to collaborate with one another, to get feedback from one another, and then maybe to the next stage, to design a task together., It is fruitful to everyone;It qualifies our work because we enrich ourselves. However I can work collaboratively more and with no difficult with teacher in France, Spain – anywhere around the world – and have meaningful, authentic learning tasks which motivate our students to work together because students are involved in really deep meaningful, authentic learning environments that move beyond the classroom. The Challenge is that more work is required to us and also it takes more time to carry out some activities in the class.Moreover, the school organization does not help at all. At least in my school our Headmaster does not care about letting teachers meet and collaborate. I hate the kind of formal meetings where we speak about nothing meaningful but I can do very little on my own to change the culture and the organization of my school. In spite of this I keep on trying to innovate my lessons . What I regret is the fact that not all my students appreciate and understand the value of what I propose them; the reason is that they think my methodology is an odd one as none of their teachers applies it. I would like to collaborate with my colleagues but my efforts ( I set up Google education nad invited some of them on other platforms like Edmodo) has produced little change among very few collagues

Ivana, Slovakia

luptacikova_ivana — 2016-11-20 00:24:29 UTC

Very inspiring video. I found there are a lot of ideas for reflection.

Graça Carvalho - Portugal

graca_carvalho — 2016-11-20 00:54:14 UTC

I collaborate with teachers across themes relevant to the whole school.

"Almost, almost in winter, autumn arrives ...
Collaborative work of the 3rd, A, B, C and E classes and the 4th year A, B and D in the school Gomes Eanes Azurara - Mangualde"

Erika, Colombia

erikahobrecker — 2016-11-20 04:02:16 UTC

I agree with Dr. Butler when she says time is an importasnt factor to collaborative teaching. Finding time to sit down and talk about what one could do, is not that easy, many meetings are spent in solving day to day situations. Yes, I collaborate with different proyects inside school, with very diverse teachers. Fortunately, my school provides us with good digital support. I will try to figure out a way to be more collaborative with teachers aoutside my school.

Rossana, Italy

rossana_demartino — 2016-11-20 08:38:33 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler about benefits if the teachers collaborate. We can have the opportunuty to learn from the others and give a good feedback for their work. I teach with a various group of colleagues using a new methodological approach, the flipped classroom, and for this reason we have to work and collaborate to decide projects and activities that we are going to do with our students. the time and the real occasion to meet each other are few, but with digital tools ( the group of facebook and whatsapp) we are able to discuss and take decisions. I've never partecipated in european projects but I enroll to Moocs to have the chance to improve my collaborative skills, my fluency in English and learn more and more by the others' experiences of teaching.

Cristina Teixeira, Portugal

2016-11-20 14:19:32 UTC

I absolutly agree that it’s very important to collaborate with other teachers from your own school or another. In Physical Education sometimes we work in the same facilities so, if we want, we can do collaborative work. In my school I have one collegue with whom I can discuss and plan collaboration, and share new ideas to develop.

In the last years I also have collaborated with teachers from other subjects than mine in order to make projects or prepare ativities for the students.

Learning from one another is challenging and enriching, however it is not easy because of the lack of time available to plan lessons together.

Maria Tomaz

anjostomaz1 — 2016-11-20 16:11:03 UTC

We all have to gain from collaborative work among teachers, especially our students, I agree with Prof Butler.
In last years this practice of collaborative work has been developed among teachers, however the time has been the major obstacle to these practices.
These practices have been used to prepare assessment sheets, study visits and not so much learning strategies and we have to evolve more in this sense, because it will be very good to discuss methods of learning and and share the experience of using the technology.

Angeliki Kougiourouki,

akougiou — 2016-11-20 16:46:58 UTC

I often collaborate with my colleagues at school when developing a project or being member of specialist in school clubs and I find it interesting and challenging at the same time.

On the other hand as an addicted eTwinner I often collaborate with teachers from abroad when developing projects or participating in Learning Events and carrying out several tasks. I have to say that I learned a lot of things both on teaching methods and web tools.

Fatih TOY / Turkey

2016-11-20 17:25:41 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler on the benefits and challenges of teacher collaboration. While watching the video, it has just occured to my mind that I should seek opportunities to establish collaboration with my colleagues out of my school. As for the challenge referring to finding time for collaboration, I use digital tools especially clouding tools like Dropbox and Google Drive to perform material transfer within ourselves.Unfortunately, my school is far away from a supportive culture.

Mariangela Bielli, Italy

mariangela_biel — 2016-11-20 18:01:50 UTC

Professor Butler clearly outlines the most relevant aspects of collaboration offering insights on how to enhance it. The main issue is to build an effective community of practice across nations and she takes this MOOC as an example. The etwinning community is the best example of this; when I started about ten years ago my community was not far beyond my school but now is the whole European network of teachers. I think my professional development has greatly benefited and is still doing so thanks to the etwinning community.

Professor Butler’s tip about a common task across departments is very challenging and we are going to try it in my school.

João Peças - Portugal

2016-11-20 18:17:11 UTC

At my school, I have been working collaboratively with my classmates for some years, through the planning of activities for students, the preparation of evaluation tools, and what I consider most important, through reflection and evaluation of strategies Implemented in the learning process. There are, however, some time-related difficulties, as Professor Butler points out, that over time we have been learning to overcome through the use of google drive. What I find most important in this way of working is to share and at the same time continue to learn new strategies, new ideas and listen to other ways of thinking.

Adina Marcu,Romania

adinamarcu9 — 2016-11-20 18:30:25 UTC

Benefits and challenges of teacher collaboration are many.MOOC it is an example.

Giovanna Wiplinger Croce

giovywip — 2016-11-20 18:45:02 UTC

Yes, it is! Collaborating with each other is a positive feedback that encourage us to keep going in spite of the many difficulties!

Grazia Italy

2016-11-20 18:53:42 UTC

Teachers collaboration is very important to better teaching and learning.

Raul Coutinho

2016-11-20 18:55:00 UTC

Teachers collaboration contribute to a better school

Devis Pieri, Italy

mickyzull — 2016-11-20 19:08:14 UTC

I completely agree that it's very precious and really useful to collaborate with other teachers.
It's important to develop a collaborative school culture between teachers, students and wider comunity. Unfortunately not all teachers believe that collaboration is so useful; it begins with opening minds, sharing thoughts, ideas, materials and also learning from each other.

Rosella, Italy

rosella_manni — 2016-11-20 19:39:20 UTC

Benfits:
Working in teams spreads responsibility, encourages creativity, deepens friendships, and builds community among teachers. Teachers complement one another. They share insights, propose new approaches, and challenge assumptions. They learn new perspectives and insights, techniques and values from watching one another. Students enter into conversations between them as they debate, disagree with premises or conclusions, raise new questions, and point out consequences.
Challenges:
Team teaching is not always successful. Some teachers are rigid personality types or may be wedded to a single method. Some simply dislike the other teachers on the team. Some do not want to risk humiliation and discouragement at possible failures. Some fear they will be expected to do more work for the same salary. Others are unwilling to share the spotlight or their pet ideas or to lose total control.
Team teaching makes more demands on time and energy. Members must arrange mutually agreeable times for planning and evaluation. Discussions can be draining and group decisions take longer. Rethinking the courses to accommodate the team-teaching method is often inconvenient.

Evi Karella-Greece

spevispevi — 2016-11-20 21:53:37 UTC

I agree entirely with Professor's Butler highlighted benefits and challenges. In eTwinning projects I have experienced the real meaning and enjoy of collaboration

Nazaré Firmino, Portugal

nazare_firmino — 2016-11-20 23:01:28 UTC

I totally agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. I have not much experience on teacher collaboration so I have not the perception of other benefits or challenges in addition to those. With regard to opportunities I have been able to take advantage of in my own context to collaborate with teachers both in and outside of school, I’m working on it, learning methodologies and strategies to implement that in my practice.

Rui Vieira, Portugal

miguelvieira_com — 2016-11-20 23:42:48 UTC

I agree with challenges and benefits mentioned by Professor Butler. nowadays it is crucial to collaborate with teachers (at least with teachers from our school) and even better outside teachers also. I usually discuss and collaborate with my coleagues.

Dulce Freire, Fernanda Cunha, Marco Fernandes and Vítor Silva, Portugal

marcocfernandes — 2016-11-21 01:49:17 UTC

Yes, we agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Dr. Deirdre Butler.

So far we have never worked like this, we are confident that from now on things will be different, we do not expect them to change from one day to the next, but we hope that we can “wake up” other colleagues. We also have never had the opportunity to work on a theme common to all classes, it must be fantastic.

rosa calvino

rosacalvino8 — 2016-11-21 07:37:22 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler we have to collaborate

MARTA BATTOCCHIA

zatram66 — 2016-11-21 08:10:14 UTC

I completely agree with Professor Butler's opinion about the importance of COLLABORATION among teachers.
I've been collaborating with Elisabetta Marigo, one of my colleagues for five years. COLLABORATION is basically a way of sharing ideas, projects, strengths and weaknesses. It helps us improve our didactic strategies.

Paulo Torcato, Portugal

2016-11-21 09:23:44 UTC

Teacher collaboration is the key to the 21st century school.

Simona, the Czech Republic

simonabrothankova — 2016-11-21 10:33:44 UTC

The benefits and challenges sound sensible. I collaborate with a colleague who teaches English conversation to my students and I teach English. We both use the same coursebook but cover different parts of each lesson. We keep each other informed of where we are so that the students do the same lesson with both of us.
I have collaborated with geography teachers in our school. Our students created a website in Czech and English with information they studied in two subjects: English and geography.
I have collaborated with students in England. Together with my students they created a calendar.
Collaboration must be efficient and bring products. Otherwise it is a waste of time.

Teresa Pombo, Portugal

teresapombo — 2016-11-21 12:08:46 UTC

Being able to reflect and receive a differente look, a different perspective about the work you're doing is on of the most important benefits in my opinion. I usually say that I have twho different tecahers lounge: the one at my school, physical, and the other on one, in the Internet, where, most of the time, I collaborate with my colleagues. It's very useful.

Rosa Italy

rosafiorenzaguidi — 2016-11-21 13:51:03 UTC

I'm agree with Professor Butler, it's very important to collaborate with the other teacher. Sometimes the problem is the time . too much to do and no more time...

Rita Scanga Italy

2016-11-21 14:16:09 UTC

It is difficult to find time to collaborate with colleagues, but we owercome the obstacle by using file sharing that allow us to organize work

Cinzia Masia, Ital

attasonitabas — 2016-11-21 14:23:43 UTC

What professor Butler says it is true and useful but unfortunately it is not possible in some schools because there are colleagues that are not interested in collaborate ! I prefer working collaborating with colleagues because I like exchanging ideas in order to plan successful activities and learning opportunities for my students. Sometimes I collaborate with other colleagues of other subjects and sometimes with my subject colleagues to plan school projects...but it is not easy!

Ariana Vacaretu, Romania

ariana_vacaretu — 2016-11-21 14:45:25 UTC

I agree with Professor Bulter - collaboration with other teachers is very important for providing good quality teaching. In my school, there is a competitive culture (contests, winners, competitions are valued) - in this environment is not easy to collaborate with colleagues

Isabel Cabo

isacabo_1978 — 2016-11-21 16:04:10 UTC

I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. Collaboration with other teachers improuve our quality and give us new experiences. Fortunatly I collaborate very much with spanish teachers and across themes relevant to the whole school, for example, in Erasmus + Project.

Poonam Singh, India

pundirpoonam651 — 2016-11-21 17:14:52 UTC

i agree with Professor Butler and try to seek the collaboration of my colleagues. at times I have asked my Maths counterparts to teach the numerical of science.

Teresa Rowett - Portugal

2016-11-21 18:13:25 UTC

What Deirdre has to say is so true! She empathizes the benefits but she also highlights the challenges teachers have to face regarding teacher collaboration. Nowadays there is a whole world out of our classroom “stalking” our students and we just can’t you pretend it has nothing to do with us. However I take two of the challenges she points out - the need of a supportive school culture and the fact that schools have to build in time for teacher collaboration in teachers’ schedules. If these two conditions are met, we’ll be more than half way to putting teachers working in a collaborative way.

Ionela-Alina Enea, Romania

dina_andreea55 — 2016-11-21 18:18:10 UTC

I totally agree with Prof Butler in what collaboration between teachers is regarded.

Katarina,Serbia

2016-11-21 18:29:23 UTC

In my school is competitive culture : contests,winners,competitions are valued.This environment is not for collaboration.
Maybe one day will be better.

Roberta Minì, Italy

robertamini — 2016-11-21 19:28:16 UTC

At the moment I'm planning the activities to do with my foreing partners of Erasmus+ for our next meeting, and as I learnt much from my German collegues in the way they led the group work both among teachers and students when we were guests in their school, I will surely try to emulate their examples.
So I absolutely agree on the benefits of teacher collaboration.

Atanasija, Croatia

atbilic — 2016-11-21 20:41:51 UTC

It is rewarding working with collagues who can see your point of view, so I agree with te benefits andd challenges by prof. Butler.

Donatella, italy

donatellacavion — 2016-11-21 21:52:14 UTC

I think that collaboration among collegues is very important. I collaborate with the teachers of my department but also with teachers of other subjects. The collaboration is done in different ways: during our meetings in order to decide some strategies, some topics, types of assessments and so on. But the colalboration is also in order to arrange some events or activities. I'd like to emprove collaboration also with collegues of other countries. So I'm following some courses about eTwinning.

Patrizia Italy

2016-11-21 22:15:38 UTC

Collaboration among teacher is fundamental and I strongly agree with Professor Butler. If it isn't possible to collaborate within our school, at least we can find ways to collaborate with teacher across Europe. To find ways to exchange ideas , strategies, material is really worth both for us and for our students.

Lorraine, PR

2016-11-22 04:44:10 UTC

Here in PR we are experiencing a new program called MECPA where we review the students results from the former year and results from standardized tests and diagnostics to stablish the skills which we have to reinforce and teachers meet to stablish plans to lead students into satisfying those areas so they can achieved the goals that are design for them, so teachers collaboration and integration Is pivotal in the process.

Marco Martinelli, Rome, Italy

radagast1974 — 2016-11-22 08:49:18 UTC

I find myself in a big professional transition, having just started to teach in Italy after training and working for many years in the UK. One aspect I miss from my British experience is exactly the opportunities to collaborate with colleagues on a daily basis. My current school is great from many points of view but I don't see collaboration being encouraged. Prof. Butler's words inspire me to seek collaboration with colleagues beyond what the school asks or expects me to do.

Marina-Italy

2016-11-22 09:40:07 UTC

A perfect opportunity would be to have a room designed for the cooperation and available at fixed hours. At the same time, teacher should have in their timetable the opportunity to meet their collegues apart from the usual afternoon meetings held 2-3 times per year. This happens in foreign countries, but not in Italy. The idea to share ideas and cooperate using Skype or videoconference is useful when thinking about collaboration with teachers coming from foreign countries or from different tows in our country. I support this idea

Irena, Poland

irenagd — 2016-11-22 10:03:19 UTC

Obviously, I agree with benefits and challenges mentioned by Professor Butler. Sharing experience, methodology etc is crucial to make progres. Fortunatelly for us there are digital tool allowing us to do that much more effectively than in the past. Of course there is one disadvatage - time consuming proces. But from the other point of view we can manage our time better and devote late hours of the day to our professional progres.

Armindo Serra - Portugal

profarmindoserra — 2016-11-22 10:51:19 UTC

I agree, I am of the same opinion as Professor Butler. Knowledge / knowledge is not a box, it is another world, where we learn from everyone and evolve together. We should work as a group to strengthen and strengthen our pedagogy, serve as an example for our students, and learn as well.
The teaching-learning process is composed of success and failure, overcoming and correcting, knowing how to recognize what is wrong, overcoming the barriers / obstacles together more productive, enriching and easier.
In our grouping of schools we are together to plan and create lessons, share experiences and knowledge every day. It has been rich and a huge adventure, very enjoyable and productive.

Asun Ara

2016-11-22 11:16:49 UTC

I totally agree with the idea that teacher collaboration has lots of benefits. Learning with and from each other is paramount. Thus peer-to-peer learning with a critical feedback is great. And we can learn from the teachers in our school, but also from teachers all around the world thanks to digital platforms, and this is fantastic.

From last year, I have been working on a project with several colleagues in Europe. Some of them work in the European Schools in Brussels and they have told me that one of the best advantages of teaching there is the international enviroment among the teachers. They come from many countries, so teachers can learn not only other languages but also other customs and news from all over the world. This "phisical" enviroment can be the same in the European Schoolnet Academy but in a "digital" enviroment. So, I think that ditital platforms can help us, teachers, very much, and not only in the research of materials and resources for our daily lessons, but also for sharing our experiences and feelings with other colleagues that can understand much better than other people who are phisically closer to us.

Jose, Portugal

jafscruz — 2016-11-22 11:25:32 UTC

"So,(...) it means that you can design really deep meaningful, authentic learning environments that move beyond the classroom." and "your students see you, not only working in isolation, but actually working with teachers in a department in school, across the school, across nations, across boundaries…" I couldn't agree more, and in my schools some collaborative work across departments it's happening. Two years ago a group of different teachers decided to create a Beyond Learning classroom, based in multidiciplinary projects and collaboration between teachers from different subjects, local organisations, and teachers from other countries. It gave us the know how to implement different collaboration work between peers and now we are envolving students also. We feel a great diference among teachers, there's a better collaboration environment and students are starting to benefit from this way of work.

Sue - AUS

suzanne_durick — 2016-11-22 11:53:47 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler. I find collaboration leads to enthusiasm, more motivating activities for the students and is inspiring. Feedback from other teachers is so useful and a valuable learning experience.
At times a challenge I find for collaboration is personalities which are more dominant and may take over. It's necessary to work together for the bigger picture.

Fátima, Portugal

2016-11-22 12:43:40 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler. In my school, we usually collaborate with teachers in our own subjects, in other subjects and with other facilities such as the library or the special needs education department. Collaborating is the most useful way to teach and learn . Time is sometimes the enemy, because teachers don't always have the possibility to meet and work together, but as Professor Butler said, we can use digital technologies to work together outside the school. These technologies can be as simple as the email, google drive, facebook or other digital platforms to communicate and share information. These tools facilitate the teachers' collaboration. If we have the will to do it effectively, we will always be able to find a way to do it.

Ioannis Velonakis, Greece

2016-11-22 16:03:55 UTC

I strongly agree with the benefits and the challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. In my point of view, the most important aspect of teacher collaboration is sharing different points of view and different experiences. Also, our students get used to collaboration since they understand that heir teachers also do this at their work. I had the chance to collaborate with many good colleagues, not only in my own subject group but also from similar or even completely different subjects or age groups. We have used not only physical communication but also communication with e-mails, skype and Google Hangouts

Patrizia, Italy

patrizia_brion — 2016-11-22 16:57:11 UTC

Domenica Marino, Ital

marinomimma16 — 2016-11-22 17:06:02 UTC

I think that collaboration between teachers is very important because it creates a positive feedback that enriches everyone's work and promotes the attainment of the set goals. The technology helps a lot because it offers lots of opportunities to share experiences at the local level and also among people who live in places far from each other. Very often, in my school, I cooperate with colleagues in interdisciplinary curricular and extracurricular projects. Furthermore I have worked in eTwinning projects and I am working in an Erasmus + one. I can assert that the support of digital tools is important to fostering the fruitful exchange of experiences which otherwise, for a variety of problems, you can not do.

Ana Schade, Portugal

ana_vaz — 2016-11-22 17:50:13 UTC

Learning from each other is fundamental, as Professor Butler says, particularly in the area of education. In my disciplinary group we seek to work collaboratively, whenever is possible, by sharing good practice and teaching lessons where teachers feel more comfortable with contents. Students appreciate the exchange of experiences among the teachers in my group.

António Gonçalves, PT

2016-11-22 18:00:49 UTC

I agree with Prof Butler on the benefits of teacher collaboration.
Collaboration between teachers has been increasing, however, the lack of time and often the lack of knowledge of tools that would facilitate collaboration are the major obstacle.

Ionela Lazea, Romania

kameeliah16bis — 2016-11-22 18:25:03 UTC

I completely agree with prof. Butlerr. I work in a kindergarten and we collaborate a lot with my colleagues. It is easier for us as we are teachers of the same subject. We actually collaborate better and exchange more materials with the colleagues that teach the same age group.

Palmira Serrano, Portugal

palmiraserrano — 2016-11-22 18:31:06 UTC

I completely agree with Professor Butler. In my school, there is a biweekly period of 1h for collaborative work among teachers, but informally teachers always collaborate more than this time

Conceição Aleixo, Portugal

caleixonline — 2016-11-22 18:44:07 UTC

I agree with Professor Butler about the crucial importance of a safe environment that encourages risk-taking. Being able to collaborate allow us to get critical feedback from our peers in a trusted environment, in the same school/country/world. Collaborating is really challenging one another – challenge our beliefs, our assumptions. And I also think all this process is going to be present for our students too.

Marta Pereira

mpereira89_1 — 2016-11-22 20:59:19 UTC

I fully agree with Professor Butler. In my school, the culture of collaborative work is sown a lot, and in my disciplinary group I work very collaboratively. We plan and prepare classes together, we share the materials with each other, we discuss the work done, we exchange ideas and suggestions.

Elisabete Gouveia, Portugal

2016-11-22 21:19:05 UTC

I agree with professor Deirdre Butler. It's very important to create an authentic learning environment and to collaborate to design a task together because we build an effective community of practice among teachers and students. The real challenge is to find time to explore digital tools but it is also an opportunity to build in collaboration and share practices across nations.

Teresa - Portugal

toliv2 — 2016-11-22 22:51:21 UTC

I do agree with Professor Butler. I think that when teachers collaborate,we achieve some benefits and we improve our work. I do have experiences of collaboration with teachers in my own subject group, not only from my school but also from others. In the last year and in this one, I'm working with teachers from 2 classes, in my school. Teachers from all subjects are working with tablets, with their students, and we are doing collaborative work, not only between teachers, but also between students and teachers.

Maria, Portugal

ameliamagalhaes — 2016-11-23 00:23:31 UTC

Roberta, Italy

carnevale_roberta4 — 2016-11-23 02:34:14 UTC

I agree that collaboration is very important and useful. Moreover it helps create a very positive atmosphere at work. Unfortunately in my school it's quite difficult to collaborate with other teachers because most of them have a quite traditional view of teaching and are mostly focussed on the curriculum. But there are some exceptions. I've started to collaborate with the Science Teacher and since we are planning to carry out a Clil project on volcanoes I've decided to focus my lesson plan (activity module 3 and 4) on volcanoes.
I've never tried etwinning but after this MOOC I'll try.

Susana Neves, Portugal

2016-11-23 12:37:33 UTC

In my school collaboration between teachers is very common. We have in our marked schedules hours to carry through the colaborative work and to develop some projects..That is very important for our formation while teatchers.
We argue curricular contents, define pedagogical boardings and plan the development of activities.

Sandra Teixeira, Portugal

2016-11-23 14:17:11 UTC

I do agree with Professor Butler, so, I pratice collaborative work with colleagues that make courses with me in the passed and now in the Phd course.
In my school, and almost in all primary schools that I know, collaboration'work is a difficult practice. I think we cooperate but only in a few aspects, usually about the contents we are teaching, to do a similar evaluation.
As I already said in other coments, collaboration is not always a concept that is greeted with open arms among primary teachers. Educators who have had success (in exams) working in isolation may view this process as an invasion of their pedagogy and a waste of time. The key to strong collaboration is recognizing that a student shouldn’t be the responsibility of only one teacher, but of all teachers. But to spread the idea... it's a long and not easy way to go through.

Cristina Abegão

2016-11-23 17:38:18 UTC

I agree with professor Butler. It's very important to create an authentic learning environment to design together. The real challenge is to find time to explore digital tools.

Teresa Pires, Portugal

2016-11-24 14:38:35 UTC

To my practices I would add the collaborative work in more moments, the proposal of activities to be carried out with the families, the use of grids with various items to evaluate.
It is common to work together with other teachers, whether in the classroom or at times of planning and organizing work. There are also activities common to all classes, in which each contributes one part to the whole.

Teresa Pires, Portugal

2016-11-24 14:38:36 UTC

anna Bormida

annabormida — 2016-11-24 17:12:41 UTC

Genova Italy
I think that prof. Butler suggestions are really important for our professional development and work stategies.

In my school i collaborate with my collegues in order to manage the classroom, to decide how can we improve education and knowledge. We share ideas about project and realize them.

I think that my colleaborations in Etwinning give me lots of ideas and lots of energy for my work.

Maria Teresa/ Italy

carmarter — 2016-11-25 09:02:05 UTC

From several years I embarked on the eTwinning activities. Fully I agree with as reported by Butler. Work with European colleagues allowed me to grow and improve professionally. Working with colleagues from other schools involves continuous get in discussion, open to other experiences, integrate and enrich their experiential baggage. Within my school collaboration is very spread because we have connecting moments in planning of activities

Marina R Italy

ruggieri_marina — 2016-11-26 10:37:40 UTC

I had four experiences of Erasmus project made with foreign partners that gave me great opportunities to grow up professionally, I really enjoyed working and exchanging point of view with foreign colleagues. It was really satisfying projecting, assessing each other works. On the other hand it is not so easy collaborate with teachers of my school, many strictly linked to their teaching methods and worried only about student's results at examinations.

Anna C. Italy

ciaramellaanna — 2016-11-26 12:03:43 UTC

I had different experiences of eTwinning project that they gave me great opportunities. Unfortunately it is difficult to convince my colleagues to change.

Cidália Marques, Portugal

cidaliam — 2016-11-26 20:51:18 UTC

In school I'm a teacher trainer and I can say that I learn more than I teach. The intersting discussions that we have in our sessions are so rich that the more we discuss the more we all grow.

Anna Maria, Italy

mattielloannamaria — 2016-11-26 22:30:28 UTC

Prof. Butler suggetions are really agreeable, but in my school I unfortunately can't experience true cooperation among teachers.

Marilia Bacao, Portugal

mariliabacao — 2016-11-26 23:07:38 UTC

In my school I collaborate with some teachers of my discipline and of other disciplines but not in the same way we have seen. I don't think we really collaborate because we work too much individually and then we share some things. We prepare the final assessments together but we don't prepare or discuss lesson plans because there are some teachers who don't want to. So, it's difficult! But we're trying and I hope we will be able to really collaborate soon.

Rosa Caeiro,Portugal

rosafcaeiro — 2016-11-27 01:14:55 UTC

In my school, collaboration between teachers, is not very frequent, we have the schedule often busy with many tasks which does not allow us to collaborate, although some of us make an effort, for the collaboration to happen. This collaboration is done within the disciplinary group, or with similar groups. I sometimes collaborate with colleagues in geography. Although real collaboration does not exist.

Natasa Vrapcevic

2016-11-27 17:52:43 UTC

In my kindergarten some of colleagues are always ready to collaborate, to learn from each others but some of them are not interested at all. Our group is always ready to collaborate in two ways : teacher with teacher and students with students.

Cristina Parente, Portugal

CrisParente — 2016-11-27 18:09:56 UTC

I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. Teachers weren't used to collaborate with each other. However, I think things are changing or at least some of us are trying to make a change. And I believe it's just a matter of time; if some of us succeed in influencing the others, there will be more and more people collaborating. Teachers feel they need to work together but sometimes they really don't have time. Some of them have time but they aren't used to do it and don't know how. In my school we are 5 English teachers and we are making an effort to collaborate and to change practices and methodologies.

Paula Gonçalves, Portugal

paulaalexandra_goncalves — 2016-11-27 20:11:27 UTC

Collaborative work among teachers is very useful and it is a way of adopting strategies and improving our work as teachers. In my school I work collaboratively with teachers from my area and from different areas. I have even developed some collaborative project based learning situations that ended in very interesting projects.
It is also very helpful for students because this way they can improve their knowledge on a specific topic and develop 21st century skills as well.

Collaborative work among teachers is crucial for enhancing collaborative skills of the students as the teachers are role models who inspire the youth.

paulina_rozmus — 2016-11-27 21:46:00 UTC

Virginia Esteves, Portugal

virginiaesteves — 2016-11-30 20:34:22 UTC

Collaborative work is fundamental if we want to shape our students for the future. I agree that there are tons of benefits to work like this, peer learning, as we learn with each other, feedback is really important to assess and to improve learning activities

Marlis Schedler Austria

2016-11-30 21:12:06 UTC

when teachers are not open minded to collaborate, they never can show the students this case of working

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2019-02-10 06:31:45 UTC

2019-03-26 15:02:18 UTC

2019-11-23 21:07:05 UTC

the crucial importance of a safe environment that encourages risk-taking. Being able to collaborate allow us to get critical feedback from our peers in a trusted environment, in the same

2021-05-29 09:07:37 UTC

In my school, we usually collaborate with teachers in our own subjects, in other subjects and with other facilities such as the library or the special needs education department. Collaborating is the most useful way to teach and learn . Time is sometimes the enemy, because teachers don't always have the possibility to meet and work together, but as Professor Butler said, we can use digital