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Successes and Addressing Challenges

Due to the COVID-19 shutdown, I have not been able to implement this project. However, I am hopeful that as we reconvene this fall, respondents will still be interested in participating. In fact, I think that beginning the collaboration group this fall could lead to better outcomes. Teachers may have more energy for working collaboratively and thinking creatively.

Though I was unable to begin implementing this project, I sought other ways to address challenges and develop as a teacher leader. In the midst of the shift from in person to remote teaching, I created "Techie Tuesday Sharing and Learning Sessions," an informal collaboration group for teachers to seek help and share ideas for remote learning. I also created a shared folder with resources, tutorial videos, and recordings of our meetings.

"Techie Tuesday" Video Meeting

Shared Folder of Links and Resources

The shutdown also presented the challenge of increased difficulty collaborating with Special Education and Resource teachers. This was especially important because one of our resource teachers was new to the position and needed guidance and support. To address this challenge and Facilitate Collaborative Relationships, I set up a weekly check-in for our grade-level team and special education support staff.

Though the vision for this project is to foster vertical grade-level and specialist collaboration, I was able to start some of the work with my grade-level team. During our time of remote teaching, each member of my grade-level team designed the lessons for one of the core subjects. During our immigration unit, we collaborated to integrate the reading, writing and math.

While studying Chinese Immigrants, students read a story about Angel Island.

Students analyzed and wrote poetry inspired by Angel Island.

Student math work was inspired by Chinese number systems and problem-solving.

I also began working with my grade-level team on the brainstorming phase of this project. Together, we generated specific ideas for lessons and resources we can use to align with the existing curriculum maps and allow us to integrate our content. Beginning the process as a small group will be helpful to anticipating how to best meet the needs of Adult Learners and set up effective Group Processes.

Third Grade Integrated Units Brainstorm

Impacts on Stakeholders

The collaboration groups I facilitated during our shutdown impacted a diverse group of educators. Our meetings involved special education teachers, specialists and classroom teachers.

By hosting open sessions for questions and learning, I began to Explore and Challenge Inequities that exist between teachers of different backgrounds. The shift to remote teaching revealed who had the advantage of technological facility and who did not. The sessions also allowed me to begin to understand the diverse needs of Adult Learners and examine dynamics of Group Processes. Techie Tuesdays, our special education collaboration meetings and grade-level collaboration all played a role in the development of my competency in Facilitating Collaborative Relationships.

With the COVID-19 shut down, teachers were asked to adapt to a completely foreign mode of teaching and learning. Collaboration became more important as well as more difficult. We worked around the obstacles of the pandemic by using video chats and shared folders. I will utilize these tools as I continue my capstone project in the fall.

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