How do LEARNING-FOCUSED Coaches Support and Encourage Collaboration?

Debbie Cargill
Nov 18, 2010

Collaboration is about working together to improve instruction and student learning. You each bring your own knowledge and experience to the table to work with a collaborative team towards a common goal. As a team member, you have a responsibility for sharing ideas, resources, and decision making, and each team member is valued for his/her contributions to the work of the group.

Coaches can model the desired behaviors for effective collaborative teams by sharing ideas, joint planning, and brainstorming with the team. The school-based coach partners with teachers and school leaders to facilitate the effective implementation of exemplary practices to increase student learning and achievement. A goal for coaches is to promote positive change in instruction through collaborative relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Additionally, coaches strive to create an on-going dialogue within the school about exemplary instructional practices which leads to a common language for conversations.

Collaborating to develop units and lesson plans leads to more efficiency in planning. By utilizing the strengths, knowledge, and experience of individuals, the collaborative team has a broader range of ideas and resources available for planning. There is strength in numbers - two heads are better than one when planning exemplary instruction! As teams get better at planning, it takes less time. Collaboration leads to stronger units and lessons. Again, building on each other's knowledge and experience brings more to the process. The coach's role is to help groups learn about and develop high performing teams.

Collaboration is also about relationships. When team members take the time to learn about each other and themselves, teams can become more effective and efficient. What are the different personality and/or learning styles of team members? Where are individuals in terms of stages of adult development? How strong is the team and is it performing effectively? How do individuals and teams deal with change and does it impede forward movement? Building positive relationships leads to stronger teams and consequently better collaborative teams. Coaches are an important asset to teams in the initial forming stage, as well as future growth.