Collaboration is defined in Interactions as “a style for direct interaction between at least two co-equal parties voluntarily engaged in shared decision making as they work toward a common goal (Friend 6).” In order to achieve this common goal, the teachers/professionals involved need to know the characteristics of collaboration and follow them. The characteristics of collaboration include the following: those involved must have volunteered, there must be parity among those involved, there must be a mutual goal that everyone is working towards, everyone must share in the decision making and participate, everyone involved must be willing to share their re

sources, and everyone shares equal accountability for the final outcome of the decision (6-10).

One of the most common methods of collaboration among teachers is through the use of teams. Teams are in place to help groups of teachers and students work together through a more interdependent relationship. There are two types of teams: disciplinary and student-centered. Disciplinary teams include multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary teams, which are made up of groups of teachers working together to make decisions about students (32-34), whether it be about deciding if the student is in need of special education services (multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary), or about the need to find a solution to an impeding behavior problem (all disciplinary teams). Student-centered teams would be the special education team; these teams “exist on behalf of the student (35).” The benefits and rational of teams can be seen in the “efficiency and potential for high quality outcomes” (31) it produces and in the creative and innovative problem solving skills which comes from working together (Bauer). Teams allow teachers the opportunity to work with one another in order to solve problems within the school.

Another method of collaboration among teachers is the concept of co-teaching. This method is designed to meet the educational needs of students with diverse backg

Some topics in this essay:
Harvard University, Issues Co-teaching, Bauer Teams, Approaches Co-Teaching, special education, Roland Barth, collaboration teachers, method collaboration, educational setting, six approaches co-teaching, characteristics collaboration, approaches co-teaching, teachers opportunity, disciplinary teams, common goal, expert teacher/professional,