Section 22 Collaboration Questions

How can school librarians change the perception of others who view the library as a “holding place”?

When students enjoy going to the media center and working with the teacher librarian, will this not encourage their teacher to collaborate on more projects for the benefit of his/her students?

Also, should it not be just as normal to see teacher’s co-teaching in the library with the teacher librarian, as co-teaching with a team member in their own classroom? Would it not also be beneficial at times for the teacher librarian to go directly into the student’s classroom with their teacher and co-teach?

What can be done to influence the principal’s attitude toward a more collaborative approach to teaching in the library?

Why are some administrators more open to creating an environment that is conducive to collaboration while others prefer competition?

If collaboration leads us to where we want our students to be, then why isn’t everybody doing it?

Since collaboration is such an easy way to mentor fellow colleagues, why are more teacher librarians not seeking out opportunities to collaborate? Along with that, with data as proof that collaboration improves student success, why are more teacher librarians not looking for more collaborative opportunities?

In light of this information, is it not imperative that teachers and teacher librarians have a scheduled time to plan together?

If all of these things are true of collaboration with the librarian, then why do many teachers still teach in isolation?

If this is true, then why do some teachers find it so difficult to collaborate? They think that handing someone a worksheet and saying this what they are doing in case you want to join us is collaboration. Do these people have such large egos that they think they know everything? Do they take it personal when their ideas are not chosen?