Every day I have the pleasure of working with many creative, dedicated, passionate educators at PS90. It is inspiring and often I think of ways I'd like to connect -- in my music class -- to what they are doing. Ideas can flow from simply watching another teacher interact with students, seeing something on their bulletin board, or actually having a chance to sit and talk with them. When I have the opportunity to chat with my colleagues (not a frequent enough event), the ideas for collaboration flow easily and are plentiful. Then, routine sets in and we often do everything but what we talked about. Recently, I thought to myself, where could we "park" all of these ideas in a place where they won't get lost (not a post-it note) and where it can be accessed from anywhere (I refuse to tattoo my ideas on my body) and by the colleagues I want to collaborate with. So, I thought of the concept of an "Idea Sharing Bank."
What is the "Idea Sharing Bank"?
The idea here is to form a core group of collaborators who feel they can make connections in their classroom that will enrich the students learning experiences (the ultimate and most important goal).
How would this work?
Each member of the group would submit a short summary of what they currently working on -- whatever their unit is. Then, the group members can submit any ideas they may have for making connections in their own classroom.
For example, let's say a member is teaching a unit on poetry, the music teacher can make some connections by setting a poem (or multiple) poems to music. A publishing party could also become part musical performance. The art teacher may have the students illustrate a drawing, create a collage, or make some other form of art to connect. Or, let's say the music teacher is doing a unit on drumming, the classroom teacher might ask "Do you have any ideas for demonstrating the concept of a closed or open circuit or a parallel circuit? By creating a chain of instruments, the music teacher could possibly illustrate these concepts with the students playing or not playing depending on where they are in the circuit.
It's important to remember that we all have our own skills and standards we needed to develop in our subject areas, but there should be some opportunities to make connections without derailing the curriculum we have set in place to accomplish our goals.
3 comments:
Hey Mr. Craig Music man. Finally was able to get down to getting on this site/blog. Hope that there develops a bit of interest in the purposes behind this blog. I gather that the term collaborate will be a great rallying point for interested parties.
That term is so overused and little understood that this may be a great place for educators to discuss and learn from each other. In the process developing a collaborative spirit can be great. Great schools collaborate. Mediocre schools talk it, but do not understand it. Let's get started.
Well Mr McGorry....the blog is languishing. Shall we include controversial material?? Shall we spread the rumour that Justin Timberlake will be the new AP of the fourth grade?? Hugh Jackman???
Getting back to collaboration....I just finished a wonderful 2 day science workshop and had great contacts established with new teachers. Am already developing my material for the upcoming school year. Being in self contained situation will be fantastic. Too bad the fourth grade follows the departmentalized contraption. Think of it....a system that encourages little or no collaboration amongst the disciplines. Thus students can walk away and not understand the connections. Test takers.....but little creative thinkers. Remember that 53% of the 4th graders failed the NYState ELA test. Collaboration?? Or business as usual.......Whose call will it be???
Collaboration.....to work together towards a common goal? During times of war, collaborators were shot. A different time.
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