COLLABORATION “…a collection of superstar teachers working in isolation cannot produce the same results as interdependent colleagues who share and develop professional practices together.”

“…learning and change is intensely interpersonal.” (People getting smart together) Collaboration: Sharing expertise and perspectives on teaching and learning Examining data about students Shared responsibility and mutual support for effective instruction

Four Group-Member Capabilities 1.To know one’s intentions and choose congruent behaviors. 2.To set aside unproductive patterns of listening, responding, and inquiring. 3.To know when to self-assert and when to integrate. 4.To know and support the group’s purposes, topics, processes, and development. There is no such thing as group behavior. All “group behavior” results from the decisions and actions of individuals.

Unproductive patterns of listening, responding, and inquiring Me Too Anecdotes and story telling Tell me more How much detail do we need on this item? I know what to do Pressure toward action and away from reflection

“…it is dangerous and often counterproductive to put adults in a room without frameworks and tools for skilled interaction.” The Adaptive School; Garmston & Wellman “Teachers need instruction in building a professional community to replace the isolation that has been the norm for most teachers.” Ann Healy-Raymond, Professional Development Specialist

“The most important learning occurs through relationships in community” Seven Norms of Collaboration Tools for productive communication between group members. Norm: Normal operating behaviors in formal and informal interactions within the school.

Seven Norms of Collaboration 1. Pausing (wait time) after a question is asked after someone speaks after being asked a question- personal reflection time – a person waits before answering collective pause

2. Paraphrasing (a restatement of a text, passage, or work giving the meaning in another form) Group becomes clearer and more cohesive about their work. Reflects content back to the speaker for further consideration. Connects the response to the flow of discourse emerging within the group. Seven Norms of Collaboration

3. Probing for Specificity Conversations go haywire when the various parties make different assumptions about the meaning of words and concepts and neglect to verify or correct those assumptions. Seven Norms of Collaboration

4. Putting Ideas on the Table Ideas are the heart of group work. To be effective they must be released to the group. Reconsidering ideas: sometimes ideas need to be pulled off the table. Seven Norms of Collaboration

5. Paying Attention to Self and Others Skilled group members are aware of: What they are saying How they are saying it How others are receiving & responding to their ideas. The total “communication package” includes : posture, gesture, proximity, muscle tension, facial expression, and voice pitch, pace, volume, and inflection Seven Norms of Collaboration

6. Presuming Positive Intentions Encourages honest conversations about important matters. Reduces the possibility of the listener perceiving threats or challenges in a paraphrase or question. Seven Norms of Collaboration

7. Pursue a balance between advocacy and inquiry. Spend equal amounts of time and energy advocating for one’s own ideas and inquiring into the ideas of others. Advocacy: Make your thinking and reasoning visible. Inquiry: Ask others to make their thinking visible Seven Norms of Collaboration

Two Important Things: That we talk: professionals who are charged with preparing students to be successful collaborative citizens are themselves cut off from the rich resources offered by true collegiality. How we talk: it influences the personal and collective satisfaction that motivates us to effectively talk together in our schools. “Any group that is too busy to reflect on its work is too busy to improve.”

Four Group-Member Capabilities and Seven Norms of Collaboration These essential capacities and skills help groups develop shared meaning and gracefully reach decisions.