A.+1.4+Content+Reflection

After listening to teacher interviews and reading material that discusses the benefits of collaboration, the trend seems to be that librarians are in the position of sharing/modeling their knowledge of technology, curriculum, and best practice with classroom teachers and their students, who in turn share with each other. The result is a free-flow of ideas, cross-curricular connections, and unlimited learning. Once teachers realize how much their students’ learning experiences improve as a result of collaboration, and how much they-themselves learn from team-teaching, teachers are hooked.

Upon evaluating the outcomes of the experiences of the teachers and administrator interviewed, unsuccessful past experiences with a co-teacher have forced me to rethink collaboration efforts. As Joy McGregor states in "Collaboration and Leadership," it is important that the collaborators objectively evaluate the internal and external factors that may contribute to a negative outlook on the idea of collaboration (201). The way in which the teachers energetically and excitedly expressed their reflections on how instrumental the teacher-librarian has been in assisting with the planning stages of an idea, to implementing those steps, and lastly, even engaging in evaluating the products of those efforts speak volumes to crediting the concept of collaboration and the benefits that abound from it. Significantly, my understanding of collaboration has been modified to such an extent that no longer are thoughts of what exactly is the role of each individual in the collaboration equation, but more so, when collaborating with others, my approach will be what more can we do to guarantee mastery for all students?