Why is Collaboration Usually One-Sided

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By the end of this keynote, participants will

• Understand why collaboration doesn't always work.
• Learn 6 ways to engage in stronger collaboration.
• Reflect on how they collaborate within a team.
• Consider areas from the keynote that they can easily transfer into their own practices.

Name 3 rules for collaboration that you strongly believe in.
OR
List 3 reasons collaboration doesn't work.

Why Collaboration Doesn't Work

• Status
• Lack of trust
• Break down in communication
• Lack of shared vision - People don't know why they're there.
• Lack of diversity in voice
• Participants do not feel they have a voice in the process

What problem is your team trying to solve?

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We should walk into a meeting with one idea but always be prepared to walk out with a better one.

How do you contribute to the success of the team?
OR
Would you know if you didn't contribute to the success of your team?

1. Create a safe and non-judgmental environment.

Consider the Following

• The role of self-efficacy.
• We consistently make assumptions.
• We will never get to our best learning if people around the table feel judged.
• Collaboration isn't about the good of one person. It's supposed to be about a positive impact on student learning.

2. Co-construct success criteria.

Success Criteria

• Co-construct success criteria with the people around the table. What learning do you want for your group for the semester or year?
• Create success criteria for that longterm learning goal.
• How does your daily success criteria help you achieve the longterm learning?

3. Establish roles.

Roles

• Co-chairs
• Facilitator of learning
• Visual representation
• Researcher
• Notetaker
• Critical Friend
• Innovator

4. Challenge each other's thinking.

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Use phrases such as:

• I have a wondering...
• Tell me more...
• I heard you say...can you paint a picture of what that looks like?

5. Focus on learning.

If your collaboration isn't focusing on learning during their meeting, what message does that send?

Focus on Learning

• Success criteria
• Protocols
• Facilitator of learning
• Reciprocol transfer

6. Create a working theory of action AND stick to it.

What is a Theory of Action?

• If...Then...
• A theory of action is a hypothesis about what will happen when a set of strategies is implemented.
• TOA's helps us design our thinking when it comes to our adaptive challenges.

IF we want teachers and leaders to possess the necessary knowledge, understanding, and skills to impact literacy, THEN we as directors of teaching and learning have to focus our consistent professional learning on those knowledge, understanding, and skills needed to teach literacy.

Theory of Action

• What is your success criteria? What will success look like?
• What assumptions are we making?
• What actions should we be taking?

Collaboration

• Create a safe and non-judgmental environment
• Co-construct success criteria
• Establish roles
• Challenge each other's thinking
• Focus on learning
• Create a working theory of action

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