If there is one term that resounded throughout this course is that of COLLABORATION. As we explored the collaborative tools; Wikis, Concept Mapping and other social networking devices, I felt the growing need to work together with my fellow colleagues in reading, to design programs that would meet the requirements demanded by our changing society. Usually this level of collaboration would be among teachers or reading specialists, but today I read an article that shared the success story of a charter school and an urban school district in Rhode Island that “forged an unusual partnership to share best teaching practices and collectively support early reading proficiency”
Pivotal to their concept of school success was the task of working collaboratively. Teachers of both the district and the charter school visited each others’ classrooms and developed lesson plans together during the school day and after school. The charter school was able to rank among the top 10 highest scoring urban elementary schools in the state with 59% proficiency in reading, although a large number of the school’s family live in chronic poverty. I invite you to read this article which portrays the result of teachers coming together to rise above the challenges that could easily beset us.
Article: http://www.annenberginstitute.org/VUE/wp-content/pdf/VUE27.pdf
Wiltshire,C.,Gallo, F., & Connolly K., (2010), Collective Practice Quality Teaching.,Annenberg Institute for school Reform.,Voices in Urban Education.
Hi Junette,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you totally about collaborating with colleagues in pursuing this course. We all have our different talents and it is important that we work together not only for this ICT class but for our children's benefit. From your reading we can see the great things dedicated teachers can accomplished when they work together. So let us work together as Reading Specialists so the Reading Levels of the children in our nation would greatly improve.