“Educators contribute to the profession.”
Collaboration between teachers is important to bring the best tools and ways of educating students.
The times in the PRO-D are important to learn from higher educators from other areas in masses. However, there are times we need help on the spot. How do we contribute to that? I believe there are always opportunities to help other teachers understand a subject better that might not have been their major, navigate an activity better that might not have worked before but they think it should have, or even know what subjects to present to hit those curricular targets.
There are new materials? There are new websites? We can have a group app to teach the kids better? – all of these questions need time to be addressed and that’s what we do on Wednesdays with collaboration. Students and parents know it as “early dismissal”, but teachers know it as “collaboration time”. I love collaboration time. There is no better time for a new teacher like me than to present a subject and say “I don’t know what to do…” and have two or three of my peers jump and say “What about…”, “I have this resource you can use”, “Why don’t you show me your ideas and let’s build up!”. My laboratories in science have grown from an idea to a fully realized class in a manner of minutes through collaboration. Sometimes, the senior teachers even say “I love what we created, can I use it as well?” or “I love your idea! It is new and innovative”. It feels so good to hear your peers acknowledge your hard work and help you build on it!
I appreciate all those teachers who have carried me through my first formative years as a teacher. Please know I hold you dear in my heart as you have made my experience with my students and their learning a million times better! Respect senior teachers as they hold the knowledge of years of teaching and respect new teachers as they come up with fresh ideas to deal with new generations.
