Improving Communication and Teamwork

Providing an excellent education to every student in the Newton Public Schools will require us to overcome some of the obstacles to cooperation and collaboration that confront organizations of all sizes. Turf battles, professional jealousy, and mistrust can stand in the way of the kind of cooperation and communication needed to succeed in the face of the enormous challenges facing our schools. To achieve the ambitious goals we set for our schools will require everyone to pull in the same direction.

Summary of Proposed Solution

We must develop a culture of cooperation and collaboration in the Newton Public Schools, in which Newton teachers benefit from the innovations and experience of their colleagues in other classrooms, other schools, and other communities. To achieve this level of teamwork will require institutional support from principals, school administrators, parents, city leaders, and the community at large. We will recognize and acknowledge collaborative efforts and expedite dispute resolution.

Discussion and Implementation Plan

“Turf battles happen everywhere - in hospitals, government agencies, associations, school systems and private industry. Silos can be created around an individual, a group, a division, a function, or even a product line. Wherever it's found, silo mentality becomes synonymous with power struggles, lack of cooperation, and loss of productivity. And always, the customer/client/patient is the ultimate loser. “

Most Newton teachers regularly reach out to colleagues and avail themselves of professional development opportunities to learn what is working in other classrooms around Newton and beyond. Unfortunately, teachers seeking to take advantage of this knowledge sometimes encounter institutional resistance. For example, a math teacher who notices that some of her/his students are having difficulty grasping a new concept may be aware of a similar situation elsewhere in which an alternative text book was used to help the struggling students. In a silo-dominated environment, that teacher would have to overcome considerable institutional obstacles to get approval for the acquisition and use of that text book.

Under a cooperative model, there would be an expedited review and approval process for acquiring supplemental materials whose effectiveness has been demonstrated elsewhere, as well as local (school-based) funds so that the purchase could be made in a timely way. With a specific problem identified that the new text book was designed to address, there would then be a simple evaluation process regarding its effectiveness. If it was a success, it would then be made available to other Newton teachers, as needed.

In this manner, resources are allocated to encourage cooperation, collaboration, and innovation. New tools and techniques are quickly explored and the successful ones are made available more broadly.

As part of our annual educational self-evaluation, we should identify obstacles to cooperation and collaboration and develop strategies to eliminate them. We will also allocate resources during the annual budget process for teachers to pilot the use of tools and techniques learned as a result of collaborative efforts.