I firmly believe that we are better together. Schools can accomplish so much more when educators function as a team instead of a system of individuals. Though teachers and instructional leaders know the power of collective efficacy, schools often fall short of truly experiencing the power of collaboration.
We cannot assume that collaboration is taking place when people are engaged in the act of meeting. Throughout this school year, I have teamed up with Casey Watts and Aimee Gilbert to discuss collaboration killers as we have worked to implement voluntary collaborative studies as support for the teachers in our schools. The three of us are passionate about building a culture of collaboration within our schools and beyond because we have witnessed first-hand the benefits of working with others. Through our experiences as instructional coaches at both the elementary and high school levels, we have identified 4 major collaboration killers… AND since we want to be problem solvers and not just problem identifiers, we recommend 3 mindsets you can use to combat them!
Collaboration Killer #1 – Lack of Trust
Educators often fear being vulnerable when relationships have not been developed and there is a lack of trust among coworkers. If trust is not established among teams of educators, teachers tend to choose comfort over courage and resist sharing ideas. They fear being judged harshly by one another for being wrong or for being considered a know-it-all. Trust in teacher teams can also be diminished when individuals bring negative, past experiences or conflicting personalities to a group.
Collaboration Killer #2 – Inflexibility
Inflexibility can cause teachers and teacher leaders to stay stuck in the past. There is no room for growth if educators are stuck in old ways (regardless of whether or not these practices have proved to be effective or not). This fixed mindset stifles growth among teams especially when educators take on a “if not required, not doing” attitude. We all know that time is precious and it is limited, but time can be prioritized to squash this excuse. Inflexibility of time, resources, and thought patterns prevents opportunities for collaboration to take place.
Collaboration Killer #3 – Unknowing
We often forget that professionals need support. Educators grow when instructional leaders model what true collaboration should look like. In schools we must practice critical thinking and communication skills with adults in addition to establishing conversation norms, common pedagogy, and professional language. Without this in place, educators often do not know what to share or how to share, ultimately preventing collaboration.
Collaboration Killer #4 – External Factors
External factors often become challenges for educators and can be the cause of diminished collaboration in schools. The pandemic, technology, and the multitude of roles that educators juggle dailey are just a few outside factors that make collaborating with others difficult.
Solution 1: Facilitator Mindset
To combat collaboration killers one can take on a facilitator mindset to build trust among teachers, create time and space for collaboration to take place, model the expectations of what collaboration can look like, and reflect on ways to prevent falling victim to the distractions of external factors. One with a facilitator mindset can establish norms and set goals for a group so that individuals will know what to expect from a collaboration experience and feel more comfortable developing relationships with one another. This can be done by creating schedules, reminders, agendas, and checkpoints that help keep the momentum of collaboration going. In addition, a facilitator mindset can help foster thoughtful questioning and listening among a group of educators. A facilitator can show others how to prioritize time in addition to asking thoughtful questions in hopes to promote curiosity and reflection.
Solution 2: Teammate Mindset
One can also take on the mindset of a teammate to combat collaboration killers. Teammates execute and follow through the goals of the group. They are consistent and dependable and put the objectives of the collaborative group above their own. They carry equal parts of a workload and never let others feel left alone to complete a task. One with the mindset of a teammate is coachable and values feedback and productive criticism from others in order to learn, grow, and improve their teaching practices. A teammate knows they are stronger with others and can rely on the people around them to fill gaps for any areas of growth they may have as individuals. When educators take on a teammate mindset, they understand and commit to the collective goals of a group and they do not make excuses for why goals cannot be met.
Solution 3: Learner Mindset
Finally, a learner mindset can help combat the killers of collaboration within a school. One with a learner mindset stays open-minded and is willing to allow themselves to grow. A learner practices risk-taking and is not afraid to fail in order to grow with others. This mindset allows educators to be comfortable practicing communication skills and developing common language. One with a learner mindset has bought-into being a true life-long learner and knows that the educators around them could be their best resources and greatest teachers.
True collaboration has to be thoughtful, intentional, modeled, and fostered by instructional leaders. So much more can be accomplished together than alone in schools. Practice these mindsets, invest in yourself, and don’t do this tough work alone.
To hear more about these collaboration killers and mindsets checkout the Catching Up With Casey podcast where Amiee Gilber and I had the opportunity to be guests!
