Describe two of the three issues related to collaboration mentioned in the text. Which of these do you have the most concern about as an educator, and why?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Working with paraeducators: Paraeducators are valuable members of the instructional teams for students, but these staff members do not have the same professional status or job responsibilities as the professionals. If the paraeducator is assigned to work under your direction, you are responsible for providing day-to-day supervision for that individual: If a serious problem arises, you are faced with a supervisory matter, not a collaborative one. Your collaboration with them is somewhat similar to the possibility of your principal collaborating with you. Just as your principal may truly collaborate during a meeting at which a student crisis is discussed, you understand that this does not mean that you and your principal should share all decision making and that your input always will be sought.
Time for Collaboration: Activities carried out collaboratively take longer to plan and evaluate than activities carried out by individuals. In most schools, special education teachers, general education teachers, and other professionals all have planning time. The dilemma is that they do not have time together to discuss shared students. A third dilemma related to time concerns the willingness of each participant to collaborate. A final time issue concerns a chronic problem for busy educators: running late to arrive at planned times for collaboration. 
The Effectiveness of Collaboration: Collaboration does not have value unless it is a vehicle for achieving goals for students and their families; thus, it is always a dimension of some other activity. This has made it difficult to study, and the majority of information about collaboration consists of stories of success, reports of perceptions, or advice for accomplishing it in schools. Consultation also should be considered. Consultation has a considerable research base, mostly in disciplines such as school psychology, counseling, and business; much less research exists related to teacher consultants. A similar perspective can be offered on co-teaching. Many studies have been completed, but only a handful directly address the collaborative aspect of co-teaching.
Answers related to the one causing most concern will vary among students.