Looking Into the Black Box: Teacher Discussions in Collaborative Teams

• In Event: Strengthening Student and Teacher Voice and Agency in Improvement Efforts

Abstract

Teacher collaboration has been viewed as a potentially powerful contributor to education reform for decades. This study examined teacher collaboration in a suburban school district in the Mountain West region of the US. Teacher team meetings were recorded and analyzed using an observation protocol based on existing research. The study found that teacher team conversations largely involved assessment – analysis of student data, data-informed planning, common assessments, and resources. Dialogue included operational and analytical foci, which emerged as opposite ends of a continuum rather than distinct types. Finally, the study found teachers made few commitments related to instruction. Findings suggest areas for future research that will allow leaders to better understand the role of teacher teams in instructional improvement.

Authors

• Ila S. Adhikari, Cherry Creek Schools

• Scott C. Bauer, University of Colorado - Denver