Chapter 4 Creating Collaborative Relationships and Fostering Communication

This chapter gave a lot of insight into different forms of collaborative teaming and co-teaching. I am happy to seeschool trying new approaches in order to be more effective. Some of the ideas introduced seemed unrealistic, but there were definately some unique strategies in creating a positive learning environment for all kids.

1. Even though thsi topic amounted to basically a paragraph in the chapter, I think it deserves mention because of the immense need for it to happen everywhere. Teacher mentoring could truly be the deciding factor as the whether a good teacher becomes a great teacher. The recent uproar over the education system in this country has all the fingers being pointed at how difficult it is to get rid of mediocre teachers. As harsh at that sounds, I truly believe this is what needs to happen. Granted, as a student I can point the finger all I want without knowing what type of teacher I am to become. Even so, there is something truly wrong with the system and I think it stems from lack of support for new teachers.

http://www.alt-teachercert.org/Mentoring.html

The website above depicts the typical process of teacher/mentor relationship. It is a valuable source so that when you become a teacher, you will see how a mentorship can provide additional support for your first year. Although many areas still do not have mentoring programs, other school staff understand the need for additional support for 1st year teachers.

2. Co teaching could be the wave of the future as many teachers excel in some areas and may be weaker in others. In our teacher certification programs, we learn to focus on our student's strengths and play down their weaknesses. Maybe we should take a lesson from our own play book. Additionally, having two teachers in the classroom could prove much more effective in reaching every child. A co-teaching arrangement can also minimize the distractions of pull-out programs. However, I think this method could suffer under the constrains of the two teachers. A good solid plan that is agreed upon equally by both teachers is necessary in order to create a positive and engageing learning environment.

http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php/category/co-teaching/

The website above is focused on improving access to the curriculum for students with disabilities through collaborative teaching. This site is hands on and has tons of various links for implementing co teacher arrangements addressed at both teachers and their administrators. The module explores the components of the definition of co-teaching, how co-teaching looks in the classroom, scheduling and planning issues, and the challenge of supervising and evaluating a co-teaching team.

3. Creating a positive effective relationship with families is important to that they may be a part of their child's education. This can be accomplished in many ways:

• engage families in curriculum planning
• hold meetings with them to discuss student progress and develop necessary IEPS
• invite them to volunteer and attend social events
• provide them with information and resources to assist them
• solicite information from families about their child's strengths and weaknesses

http://www.kidstogether.org/beanincluder.htm

This website is solely focused on implementing inclusion for to provide the least restrictive environment for all students with disabilties. It has a ton of information on what you can do to help impact the practice of inclusion.