Rimm-Kaufman,+S.E.+&+Sawyer,+B.E.+(2007)

Diana Haugk EDU 713 May 31, 2011
 * Journal Review **

Reference:

Rimm-Kaufman, S.E. & Sawyer, B.E. (2007). Teacher collaboration in the context of the responsive classroom approach. //Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice,// 13 (3), 211-245.

Introduction

Collaboration has important implications for teachers, students and schools, and research is necessary to examine the ways in which collaboration can be increased in school settings. Currently, there is little research that describes the characteristics or discusses the predictors of teacher collaboration. The purpose of this study is to investigate what typically happens when teachers collaborate, to identify the factors which influence teacher collaboration and to examine the ways in which an intervention, known as the Responsive Classroom (RC) approach, can foster teacher collaboration. Across the nation, more than 50,000 teachers have been trained in the RC approach; however no research has been performed to examine the degree to which the RC approach can be viewed as a method for promoting teacher collaboration. Four research questions are related to this study including (1) How do the frequency and characteristics of collaboration differ at RC and comparison schools? (2) In what ways is the RC approach related to teacher collaboration?(3)In what ways do teaching experience and teachers’ perceptions of the school environment relate to teacher collaboration? and (4) In what ways does the RC approach relate to teachers’ perceptions of the school environment, and could this relation be the mechanism by which the RC approach relates to teacher collaboration? The authors hypothesized that (1) teachers at RC schools would collaborate more frequently and about more topics and in more places and would place more value on collaboration than teachers in comparison schools, (2) teachers in RC schools and those teachers who had received RC training would exhibit more collaborative behaviors and more positive attitudes about collaboration, (3) greater collaboration would exist among less experienced teachers, teachers who perceived fewer barriers to collaboration, and teachers who reported sharing more goals and values with their peers, and (4) the RC approach would improve teachers’ perceptions of the school environment, and in turn, increase teacher collaboration. Study Design and Method This study was a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Virginia who examined the contribution of the RC approach. Participants of this study include six public elementary schools in an urban district in the northeast. Three of these schools had been implementing RC for two years, and three schools (who were not implementing the RC approach) were used as comparison schools. While all kindergarten through fourth-grade teachers from the six schools was invited to participate, one hundred eighteen teachers participated. The large majority of teachers were female and Caucasian, had an average age of 39, and held a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Both quantitative data and qualitative data were collected including a collaboration questionnaire, a teacher sense of community scale, a classroom practices questionnaire, teacher resources questionnaire, teacher demographic questionnaire, and principal and PIP interviews. Results This study revealed two sets of findings, the first being the frequency and characteristics of teacher collaboration. The study found that teachers collaborated with their peers about student-centered topics approximately once or twice each month. More frequent collaboration was reported in RC schools than comparison schools. Lack of time and lack of administrative priority were reported as the main barriers to collaboration. The second set of findings labeled patterns of predictors of teacher collaboration including teachers’ perceptions of the school environment, specifically perception of shared educational goals and values and perception of fewer barriers, related positively to teacher collaboration. Teachers who reported using more RC practices and/or resources were found to collaborate more and place a higher value on collaboration. Discussion, Implications and Recommendations This study supports the understanding of teacher collaboration and its antecedents and demonstrates how a school-wide educational initiative is connected to teachers’ perceptions of their school environment as well as their collaborative behaviors and beliefs. The authors identified several limitations of this study; the focus was on the quantity of collaboration rather than the quality of collaboration, the sample did not include teachers in schools who had fully implemented the RC approach (this is viewed as a three to five year process), the study relied heavily on teacher self-report, and there was no baseline data on teacher collaboration at any of the six schools. While the data does reveal that the RC approach is related to higher levels of collaboration, it could also be that these schools were already collaborating at a high level and the RC approach simply sustained this practice. The authors do recommend that schools implement the RC approach, as it is committed to training teachers to collaborate. My Thoughts and Connections <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Collaboration is a crucial concept and critical to success in the schools. However, as evidenced in numerous course readings and literature, it is not easy to execute and does require teacher training and skill. Teachers and professionals need a roadmap to guide them in this process and the results of this study convince me that the RC approach may be a beneficial intervention to implement in a school setting. I think that in order for this approach (or any collaboration training program)to be effective, it should be a school wide initiative as this study revealed how teachers’ perceptions of the school environment related positively to teacher collaboration. The study revealed that those teachers who had supportive administrators were more likely to value and participate in collaborative efforts. Another benefit of collaboration being a school-wide initiative, is that many principles of collaboration identified by Friend and Cook (2007) could be addressed and contribute to more effective collaboration. These include parity, mutual goals, shared responsibility, resources and accountability. In examining the questionnaires and teacher responses regarding collaboration, these principles emerged. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Questions did arise from this study for me. The first is related to the two barriers to collaboration that were identified by teachers included in this study; lack of time and administrative priority. How are these barriers to be overcome? I would be curious to know if the teachers’ had answers or ideas on ways to address these barriers. Another question is whether or not teachers who willingly adapt this program are more successful in its implementation than those who are required to? My assumption is that those whom are voluntarily using the program have more vested interest in its success, as Friend and Cook have explained. I would also be interested in having a comparison study completed on those schools that use the RC approach versus another collaboration plan approach. Lastly, what other interventions/approaches exist for schools wishing to train and support teachers in their collaborative endeavors? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I do think that more research is needed on the benefits of the RC approach. Most of this data was self-reported which can be biased and I agree that a baseline should have been established so that results would reveal a before and after. I would also be curious to know how teachers are trained in the RC approach, and whether or not they all trained in a similar manner, as this too could impact results of those implementing the program. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">All in all, I do believe that the RC approach is worth a shot for any school wishing to create or enhance effective collaboration in their community.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Works Cited: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Cook, Lynne and Marilyn Friend (2007). Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Professionals (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.