Module 3 Professional Links With Colleagues

To grow professionally, teachers need to connect with other educators. This lesson will
help you understand the value of collaborating with other teachers. More specially, this lesson
will guide you to:

1. Discover the important of collaborating with other teachers; and

2. Discuss ways on how to link with other educators.

Educational Theory

It is a recognized fact that teachers need to collaborate with one another to grow
professionally. Collaboration among teachers means working together to reflect on practices and
improve teaching (DuFour 2005). In recent years, schools have emphasized the need for students
to collaborate. In the same manner, educational leaders have also seen the importance of
collaboration in professional development (Robbin and Alvy 2003).

A study by Peterson in 2002 reveals that collaboration with colleagues is more significant
than short-term workshops or seminars. The reason behind this is that short-term workshops may
inspire teachers for a moment but will have little impact on the way they teach. However, when
teachers are given the opportunity to work together for a period of time, they establish a
relationship that can greatly impact the way they teach. When teachers share practices,
reflections, and experiences with colleagues whom they have been working with for quite some
time, they tend to learn more.

Thus, conversing about professional practice is necessary as it provides novice teachers

some kind of mentoring. It also allows seasoned teachers to renew their interest in teaching as
they are given the opportunity to share their expertise (Williams 2010).

If schools do not provide opportunities for collaboration, teachers need to look for
opportunities to link with colleagues. It is important to note that before professional relationship
can be established, teachers have to forge personal relationships with other teachers. There are
various ways of connecting with colleagues. First, find time to talk to colleagues. Second, ask
them about their experiences in the classroom. Ask for advice and listen to how they were able to
address similar concerns. Third, volunteer to work on a project with other teachers. The more
you engage yourself in projects, the more you will learn not only about the working style of your
colleagues but also about lessons on commitment, passion and hard work.

Interview
 A. Ask the cooperating teacher if you can be an as shadow teacher. List down ways on how
the teacher collaborates with other teachers.
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B. Interview the cooperating teacher. Ask the following questions:

1. In what ways do you collaborate with your colleagues?
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2. Why do you need to collaborate with your colleagues?

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3. What do you think are the advantages of collaborating with colleagues? What are the
disadvantages?
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Processing

Read carefully and answer the following questions:

1. Do you think that linking with colleagues is important in teaching? Why? Why not?
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 2. How does collaborating with other teachers impact the students?
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3. If you were the teacher, how will you collaborate with your colleagues?
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Reflection

Complete the following:

1. I realized that
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2. I believed that
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3. I feel that
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4. When I become a teacher, I will
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