Have you ever felt alone in education? Maybe you have heard the phrase, "they are on an island". So, what if you or a colleague are the one that is being described by that phrase. Let't take a look a the power of collaboration. First, let us start by examining the most appropriate setting to see collaboration. The world of the Superhero!
Think about a superhero that you enjoy or know well. There are a couple things that are present in any good superhero story that I can think of. The first is often the superhero works with a sidekick or a team. This right here is a great example of the power of collaboration, as they often overcome a challenge or fill for each others' weaknesses. The second aspect that is often present in any good superhero story is the arch-nemesis or villain. The villain, without knowing it pushes the superhero to become better and overcome challenges. The one thing we never see in a good superhero story is a character that has no team or villain to push them.
Time to bring it back to the world of education (although you are all superheros!). The power of collaboration is a must for being a teacher. It is rare to see a teacher survive without other professionals around them that can push them or work as a team. In the true spirit of collaboration, we look to professional learning communities. Unfortunately there are still many districts and buildings that do not have the formal time for Professional Learning Communities built into their day, but that does not mean that PLCs do not happen. Take some time to develop a PLC around you. It may be a physical meeting with other professionals in your building, or through the development of a virtual PLC online, often referred to as a PLN (Professional Learning Network). These are the people that will help you grow and challenge you to become a better you. If you are looking for more resources on how this structure should look, I recommend you start with the book, Learning by Doing by Dufour, Dufour, Eaker, Many, and Mattos.
For those of you feeling as if you are working not on an island, but with a villain pushing you, I have also been there. In my first years in education, I jumped when I received a job offer. Unfortunately, I was met with resistance by the person in the building that was teaching the same content as I was. I was excited to be in a building where there was an opportunity to collaborate with someone teaching the same content as I was. As difficult as it was to not be met with open arms, I took the opportunity as a challenge (and a chance to face my villain). I used it as an opportunity to become the best me and teach my students the best I could. I continued to share content that I was creating and bringing data to the table. Eventually the other party saw the value of collaboration and the walls fell slightly. Although, I cannot offer success in every situation like this, I do challenge you to use a situation where collaboration is not welcomed to become a better you!
A quick note to those of you that are in smaller districts or buildings. I have had friends that get discouraged because they do not have the opportunity to collaborate that some larger districts do. I challenge you to think outside the box. I would be willing that if you feel "alone on an island" due to geography, that the person in the next town or district over might have similar feelings. Reach out and see if you would be able to collaborate with them. In fact, many administrators would be happy to support this type of collaboration if they have the means. Also, as aforementioned, get online and use Twitter or Google+ to reach out.
Remember, you are only as strong as your weakest link when you collaborate and team. Push each other to become the best you can be no matter the situation. You are all superheros! Enjoy each day and learn from each other.
A quick note to those of you that are in smaller districts or buildings. I have had friends that get discouraged because they do not have the opportunity to collaborate that some larger districts do. I challenge you to think outside the box. I would be willing that if you feel "alone on an island" due to geography, that the person in the next town or district over might have similar feelings. Reach out and see if you would be able to collaborate with them. In fact, many administrators would be happy to support this type of collaboration if they have the means. Also, as aforementioned, get online and use Twitter or Google+ to reach out.
Remember, you are only as strong as your weakest link when you collaborate and team. Push each other to become the best you can be no matter the situation. You are all superheros! Enjoy each day and learn from each other.
