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Several researchers have identified cooperation as a school factor that impacts student achievement. At a very general level, cooperation can be described as the extent to which staff members in a school support one another by sharing resources, sharing ideas, and sharing solutions to common problems. Some indicators that signal cooperation at the school level are
In our meta-analysis of research related to factors that contribute to successful schools, McREL found that on average, cooperation is associated with a 2 percentile gain in student achievement. Next: Involving Staff in Key Decisions and Establishing Clear Communication and Leadership Roles Source: Marzano, R.J. (2000). A New Era of School Reform: Going Where the Research Takes Us. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning. Resources The following resources provide educators with guidance on maintaining cooperative environments in their schools. Restoring Meaning to Teaching. This online resource from SEDL shows how engaging in collegial dialogue can help teachers restore meaning to their teaching as they discuss the relationships among curriculum, assessment, and instruction, share concerns about their classroom practice, and try new solutions to problems. Building
a Collective Vision. This page from NCREL's
Pathways to School Improvement Web site provides some strategies for creative
a collective vision among school staff. Storyboarding. This page from NCREL's Pathways to School Improvement Web site provides guidance for storyboarding, an effective process for facilitating, sharing, and organizing very concrete, practical ideas among participants.
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