Bruner: Chapter 2 RR

Chapter 2 discusses the importance of collaboration between educators and the positive impacts this can have on multiple classrooms and a school. As teachers we often can get isolated in our own little classroom with our students, forgetting that other people are doing the same exact thing. Why get isolated when we can learn from each other and bounce ideas of one another? Julie Lindsay, who created the Flat Classroom Project and teaches in Bangladesh, happened upon a blog by a teacher in the U.S. commenting on her students' reactions when reading The World is Flat. This sparked ideas of a project-based learning for students to connect across the globe. By working together, with respect for one another's ideas, they were able to work together to give their students and enriched curriculum and learn through technology. One section in the chapter that really struck out to me was on page 33 when they talked about the significant benefits from learning communities where teachers are actually able to interact and learn with and from each other. These benefits included decreased feelings of teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systemic change. My favorite benefit mentioned was that there was more powerful learning for our students. If we are able to collaborate with other teachers BEFORE we teach the lesson, then there is less likelihood for drawbacks or problems to arise when introducing a new project. And then more powerful learning is acquired because you have worked out some of the kinks that would have been there if not seen by another person's eyes. By collaborating afterwards, you are able to voice your successes as well as some of the problems that arose, helping future teachers who want to participate in the project as well. One problem that I could see arise from this is that everyone thinks that their methods are the best and are the right way to teach students. While I think a more passive, friendly community is better for students, other teachers might believe that a very disciplined, structured classroom is better. Neither is wrong and we have to remember to consistently respect each other, taking and giving constructive criticism. Like page 35 says, we are collaborating with each other and we are focused on the student's learning, not which teacher is right. We have to consistent, life-long learners to be successful in this profession.