Collaboration

6th Grade Collaboration

 * Classroom Teacher
 * As the Classroom History teacher I would have contacted the Media Specialist a few weeks in advance to talk to her about scheduling time in the Media Center to work on this project.
 * I would have given her the handout that I gave to my students about the project and the rubric and explained what I was hoping the end result would be.


 * Media Specialist
 * As the Media Specialist I would have worked with the classroom teacher to figure out what role I would play in this lesson.
 * I would make sure that the websites the classroom teacher wanted to use worked on the Media Center's computers, if not, I would contact the Technology department and worked on getting the necessary things done for the websites to work.
 * I would pull books related to the topic.
 * I would also work with the classroom teacher to develop examples for the students to see when they come into do their research.
 * I would also work with the classroom teacher to make a custom search on Google.

Geography and History of the World Collaboration

 * Classroom Teacher
 * Schedule time in Media Center to work on project.
 * Give handouts and rubric to Media Specialist.


 * Media Specialist
 * The whole 9th grade wing has the same lunch, so I eat with most of the teachers in my building each day. This helped me to develop a more causal relationship with my teachers and we talk about collaboration a lot. I use lunch as a time to tell them about new technologies I read about and to find out what they are teaching. Then I suggest ways to increase the levels of inquiry.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would pull books related to the topic.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would make sure all programs work with Media Center computers and have technology fix problems that arose.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I think that the most important factor in a successful collaboration is having the teacher approach the Media Specialist. When the teacher initiates the collaboration, it shows that they are excited about working with you and their students pick up on that. When teachers act like their media specialists is an important members of the faculty, it helps students to look at them as teachers as well. Communication is a huge part of collaboration as well. If the teacher does not communicate what their expectations of the collaboration are, then the media specialist has a hard time determining what to prepare.