What are the five elements necessary for collaboration to occur? Briefly describe each element and explain why it is necessary for teachers to recognize and examine these elements prior to participating in collaborative partnerships.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Your personal belief system: Are you convinced that the effort that collaboration requires results in positive outcomes for students and teachers? Your communication skills: If you do not practice the skills of communication (use of facial expressions, posture, and other nonverbal signals, the words we choose and the way we express) when it is easy to do so, you are unlikely to suddenly have them when the situation demands them. An interaction process is a set of steps that are followed using effective communication to accomplish the mutual goal of collaboration. If you think about all the roles and responsibilities you may have in school, you can see that most of them can be considered from a problem-solving perspective, making it essential that you know and can carry out this key process. Although you may not have significant input into the design of programs and services, your understanding of them can help you make an informed judgment about the potential for collaboration. As you gain experience as a professional, you may be able to influence the extent to which collaboration is valued in your school and resources are dedicated to fostering it (supportive context).