Chapter 4

Teacher networks have been described by many Saskatchewan teachers as the form of professional development they most appreciate.

Chapter 4: Curriculum Networking

Overview

What?

Teacher networks are groups of teachers who meet regularly to discuss and/or work on areas of mutual interest. Networks involve teachers in a form of professional development that is group directed through democratic processes with each person having equal decision-making authority. While such groups can take many forms, Curriculum Networks, as conceived in the Connections Model, are groups of teachers who come together to offer mutual support as they undertake further implementation and renewal of Core curricula.

These networks could involve any of the following configurations:

teachers who teach the same grade
teachers who teach the same subject
teachers who work in the same school
teachers in a school division who share a similar interest (e.g., supporting students from low-income families).

How?

Curriculum Networks work best when participation is voluntary but supported by key administrators. Any interested teacher, or group of teachers, can start a Curriculum Network and invite others to participate. When formed, members would shape the network focus to support their particular professional development goals. As an initial step, members would likely seek the principal's support and that of relevant central office personnel but would not necessarily involve them in network activities. Network members set meeting times and places. At particular points, meeting time decisions might include requests for some release time to accomplish particular network tasks.

Network activities involve ones like the following:

sharing challenges and successes in relation to a particular curriculum, instructional method, or evaluation tool
developing curriculum units/modules
pooling and evaluating resources
solving curriculum-related problems
studying alternative responses to curriculum dilemmas
dialoguing related to a range of educational topics.

Network members decide on particular activities to undertake in a school term/year.

Why?

The benefits of networking have been described by teachers as including such things as outlined in the chart on the following page.

Instead of prescriptive mandates or packaged programs, teachers need time to work with each other, to think, analyze, and create conditions for change in their specific circumstances and in ways that fit their own needs. (Cochrane-Smith & Lytle, 1990, cited in Birchak, Connor, Crawford, Kahn, Kaser, Turner & Short, 1998,
p. 3)

"At the centre of the changes at our school was an atmosphere of collegiality that became stronger as teachers worked together on a number of projects."
(A Saskatchewan teacher)

A teacher vignette

I've seen individual teachers and a school go from being teacher centred to student centred through professional development and growth at the school level. For example, a group of teachers in our school became involved in a Stirling McDowell research project that led to many other positive initiatives for the students, teachers, and the school division. At the centre of these changes was an atmosphere of collegiality that became stronger as teachers worked together on a number of projects. Some of the other changes included:

Four teachers began working on their Post Graduate Diplomas or Masters degrees (this is on a small rural staff of 12 teachers).
At the school level, teachers saw a need to initiate and implement a pre-school program in which parents/caregivers attend with their child. The parents are pulled out for 1-hour discussion of topics they choose to learn about, such as parenting skills.

This staff, consistently and persistently, have worked at increasing recognition of the importance of early childhood education through involvement on many committees at the local and provincial level.
At the division level, this involvement and lobbying has meant the increase of the kindergarten day from 80 days to 100 days beginning in the fall (this is an impressive change in a period of financial restraint in our school division).

A really important outcome has been the development of teacher teams who focus on resource-based learning. Using teams to develop units of study, teach units, and to reflect upon and renew units has led to many "open" classrooms and more sharing than I've ever seen before. One example of the collegiality and support has to do with the hiring of a new teacher last fall because of unexpected increases in enrolments. Half of the teaching staff showed up at school the Sunday before the teacher started -- making student booklets, running off units of study, making charts, name tags, and bulletin board displays for the new teacher's classroom.

Organization of the Chapter

This chapter is divided into three parts. Section 1 provides information and advice for starting and maintaining an effective, affirming Network. The remaining sections contain tools and information related to two different network activities:

dialogue (sharing experiences, posing and solving problems)
co-operative unit development and/or sharing and evaluating resources.

These activities are provided as suggestions only. An assumption underlying development of this chapter is that teachers who establish Curriculum

The information in Section 1 can be used to plan for success.

Networks are in the best position to decide the foci for meetings that would most benefit them.

Section 1: Creating an Effective Curriculum Network

This section contains advice related to:

starting a teacher Curriculum Network
creating a Community of Learners
improving the quality of communication and dialogue.

Getting Started: An Overview of Actions and Decisions

Starting a Teacher Network: An Overview
Who?	How?	What?	When and Where?
any teacher or group of teachers can start a network (across or within schools, grades, school divisions) administrators may be invited to attend or participate but would not usually instigate the Network a Community of Learners	obtain support from relevant administrators present idea to others stress voluntary participation propose a range of purposes or activities devise means to prepare for first meeting	focus on teacher-directed curriculum implementation offer participants a variety of mutual supports decide on group norms and processes, topics, and activities among members select a facilitator or share this role among members	regular meetings (at least once a month) members decide on preferred time and length of meetings members decide on preferred meeting place or rotation of location members negotiate for some release time in return for particular results

Preparing for the First Meeting

The initial meeting of a teacher network is crucial. Experienced networkers suggests that many teachers decide to continue or drop out at this point. A few simple actions can make your first meeting more successful:

suggest that all who are interested read the first section of this chapter (pp. 61-68)
have interested teachers think about their expectations for the network, prior to the initial meeting
set an agenda that includes the major decision items that make for smoother, more collaborative processes
start and end on time.

Putting a few Key Concepts on Overheads or Charts

It may help to display charts of key concepts from the first section of this chapter in a visible place, even if everyone at the initial meeting has already read them. Participants can use the charts as quick references or reminders during decision making. Charts that might be useful include:

Alternative Ways to Make Group Decisions
The Facilitator's Role
Effective Talking - Effective Listening
What is Sharing? What is a Dialogue?

In subsequent meetings, you may wish to post other charts from this chapter as they appear relevant to the focus of the meeting.

An important aspect of establishing a Curriculum Network is planning and preparing for the first meeting. One key to a successful start is for teachers, before the first meeting, to think through their expectations for the Network.

Using a Pre-meeting Questionnaire

One way to facilitate the many decisions that will need to be made during the first Network meeting is to ask teachers interested in establishing a network to complete a questionnaire -- like the one on the following page -- prior to the first network meeting.

The "Network Participants' Interests and Concerns Inventory" can be used at the meeting in one or both of the following ways:

members keep their questionnaires and refer to them when contributing ideas
members who are willing to do so hand in their questionnaires at the end of the meeting, and a volunteer summarizes members' responses for use at a later meeting.

Setting the Agenda

Teacher/s who initiate the first meeting might create a tentative agenda that includes such items as those on the following Sample Agenda. The items included are ones that researchers and experienced teachers have described as important to the ongoing success of a network or work or study group (Birchak et al., 1998; Francis & Young, 1979; Pfeiffer & Company, 1993).

Sample of Agenda for First Curriculum Network Meeting

1. Welcome -- Getting Acquainted
2. Appointment of temporary facilitator and recorder
3. Decision Items:

How do we want to make decisions? (Refer to chart below, Alternative Ways to Make Group Decisions.)
Where and when shall we meet?
How often shall we meet and for how long each time?
Snacks?
Do we want to choose one facilitator for a school term? year? rotate this role? (Refer to chart, The Facilitator's Role, on p. 66.)

4. Discussion Items:

Norms for group behaviour (Refer to ones on p. 66 of this chapter or have members share the ways they answered Part A of the questionnaire.)
Topics and activities we are interested in pursuing. (These could include suggestions in Sections 2 and 3 of this chapter and/or ones that stem from participants' answers to Part B of the questionnaire.)

Thinking through the consequences of network decisions for all members can foster mutual trust.

Tasks to Accomplish and Charts that may Help

1. How will we make decisions?

When groups are faced with difficult decisions, there is no substitute for mutual care and regard between all members. This mutuality takes time to develop. In the meantime, mutual trust can be nurtured or damaged by the type of decision making the group employs.

Many groups take the decision-making process for granted, having no formal procedure or using majority rule voting automatically. Other alternatives exist and can be matched to suit the needs of specific situations. Look at the following chart. Dependent upon its nature, your group may want to vary the way they make individual decisions.

Groups make the best decisions when they have genuine concern for each other, know more than one process to use, and choose the best decision-making process for each situation by asking themselves "What is at stake and for whom?"

In relation to all group decisions, a basic question needs to be asked: "What is at stake and for whom?"

2. Do we need a facilitator?

Research, based on the experiences of many types of groups, has demonstrated that groups work better when they are facilitated well. Even in long-standing groups with members who relate well, groups need someone to get the meeting started and be responsible for overseeing the smooth operation of the meeting. Whether this responsibility is rotated, shared by two persons, or handled by one member, the importance of a facilitator should not be underestimated. The following chart is developed from a synthesis of relevant research, showing key characteristics and responsibilities of effective facilitators (Birchak et al., 1998; Francis & Young, 1979; Pfeiffer & Company, 1993).

Those teachers who take a facilitative role may find it helpful to read Classroom Curriculum Connections in its entirety, because other chapters contain useful information and ideas related to networking. As well, all the material in this chapter supports the facilitator's role. The facilitator may wish to select discrete items from this document as foci for group reading and discussion, ensuring that each member has a copy of the selected material.

3. What norms do we wish to work from?

Effective, affirming teacher networks do not just happen. People make them work by being clear about the behaviours and procedures they desire and will support. Some ways you might prepare for a discussion of group norms is to:

The primary purpose of a teacher network is to support teacher learning. Political purposes, such as developing a lobby group, are usually best fulfilled through other structures. Teachers in a network may decide at some point to create forums and structures outside the network when they see a need for some form of political action. This would preserve the network's emphasis on learning and personal-professional growth.

A teacher network might be an appropriate place for airing frustrations and concerns if members have ensured that processes and guidelines are in place that (a) lead to constructive actions and (b) preserve an atmosphere of professionalism.

have all group members read this section of the Handbook before the meeting
use Part A of the Sample Questionnaire (p. 63)
post and refer to the following example of norms, developed by one group of teachers, before beginning the discussion.

Example of Group Norms

keep "homework" to a minimum -- group decides when it is necessary
no interrupting or side conversations
start and end on time
it is okay not to know something
we do not just talk about our frustrations/problems, we find ways to overcome them
we are all in this together -- we learn from each other.

Whatever approach you choose, return to your norms from time to time to see if they need to be changed or if new ones need to be added.

4. Is there a place for complaining or venting in our network?

All teachers experience frustrations and problems at times. When these result from board/administrative decisions that teachers feel are detrimental to their students' learning or to the quality of their work lives, teachers need a safe place to express their strong feelings and share their concerns. Often family members or close friends fill this need. A teacher network might also be an appropriate place if the group has established guidelines to ensure that professionalism and a constructive atmosphere are maintained.

Example of Guidelines for Airing Concerns/Frustrations

all network members share the concern and are affected by it equally
all members have experienced similar concerns, whether or not they are affected by the one being raised
Network members who raise the concern are interested in moving beyond it to constructive proposals for ways to respond once it has been sufficiently described (See What? Why? How? process, p. 74)
all network members agree to discuss it for a set period of time
members have and use norms of confidentiality and respect for each other and for all those implicated in, or affected by, the discussion
"naming names" and "pointing fingers" is avoided
as a group, members are prepared to share their concerns with the decision makers who hold shared responsibility
Networks are not treated as lobby groups but rather as learning groups.

Facilitators and/or members who wish to learn more about constructive ways to talk about issues and concerns could read Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, S. (1999). Difficult Conversations: How to discuss what matters most.

Curriculum networks work best when everyone who participates believes that diverse perspectives and opinions are useful, that each member has something of value to offer, and that her/his role is to learn from others' ideas, not to convince others that one idea is most correct.

"To me open mindedness is exploring the 'coulds' instead of the 'shoulds' -- the possibilities instead of the perceived restrictions."
(A Saskatchewan teacher)

Building and Supporting a Community of Learners

A Community of Learners Approach

In a Curriculum Network created by teachers for teachers, there are no "experts" -- each member is considered to have important knowledge, experiences, and abilities to share. When seeking more detailed or complex information, members decide if they will (a) invite others to give presentations/demonstrate strategies/techniques or (b) undertake group study of the topic.

Communities of learners are characterized by people who:

ask questions and listen carefully to the responses
are open-minded and sensitive to others' needs and feelings
are able to change their opinion when presented with good reasons/sound evidence
like to share ideas, resources, and materials
are not afraid to make mistakes or to admit to having made them
use and value appropriate forms of humour
believe co-operation is more satisfying and rewarding than competition.

The most important contributions a member can make to establishing a Community of Learners are:

the belief that others have something to offer
the ability to really listen in order to learn and grow.

Learning about and from Others

You can strengthen your belief that others, including those with different values and opinions, have genuine and important insights that you could benefit from by adopting some of the following means:

Take time to get to know each other's personal visions and goals, formative teaching experiences, classroom situations, unique circumstances, and/or pressing concerns. You might wish to use an Interests and Concerns Inventory such as the one on p. 63 to facilitate this type of dialogue. Alternatively, you could develop your own structure for a dialogue that focuses on understanding individual member's values, experiences, beliefs, and concerns.
Individually, or as a group, work through the section on learning in Chapter 2: Curriculum Reflection (pp. 26 - 32).
Use a What? Why? How? process when your group tackles controversial issues (see the description of this process on p. 74).

Reflection Connection. When the goal is to develop a Community of Learners, Reflection Foci I (p. 21) and III (p. 26) are useful both to undertake individually and to share as a group.

Strengthening Communication Processes

Teachers know a lot about the qualities and skills of good listeners and effective speakers. The following chart is a quick reference tool for times when group members begin side conversations, interrupt each other, or engage in other detracting behaviours that occur in all groups in the heat of discussion.

All effective groups evaluate their processes from time to time, offering all members a voice in naming concerns and suggesting changes. Charts such as "Effective Talking - Effective Listening" are useful in maintaining a focus on processes instead of individuals.

All effective groups evaluate their processes from time to time asking, How are we doing? Are there some things we could be doing better? Facilitators may wish to post the Effective Talking - Effective Listening chart and refer to it as a focus for network members when evaluating group processes, and when adding to or changing group norms.

Members who are interested in strengthening their abilities to support network or classroom dialogue may wish to read "Guidelines for Encouraging Dialogue, Listening and Communication", pp. 128-131 in Teacher Study Groups: Building Community through Dialogue and Reflection (Birchak et al., 1998).

Section 2: Dialogue, Sharing, and Problem Solving

This section contains ideas and advice related to network meeting activities that focus on talking in order to learn. These include such foci as:

discussing topics of mutual interest in ways that link theory and practice
sharing ideas and experiences
generating "solutions" to classroom-related problems
developing a range of ways to respond to common dilemmas and concerns.

Learning from Sharing and through Dialogue

Professional development research related to "best practices" for teacher discussion groups emphasize the following guidelines:

develop discussion processes that are safe, comfortable, and inclusive
value the sharing of ideas and experiences
extend discussions in ways that link theory and practice and strengthen critical and creative thinking abilities.

(See for example, Birchak et al., 1998; Pierce, 1998; Scribner, 1999; Sykes, 1996.)

When teachers use critical and creative thinking abilities and processes to work through topics of mutual interest or concern, they are not "just talking" but rather engaging in a meaningful, powerful form of professional development.

Sharing and dialogue involve different formats, serve different purposes, but are equally valuable. Teachers experienced with successful networks recommend the use of both.

The implications of this advice for Curriculum Networks include that members:

develop a "community-of-learners" approach and norms for supportive discussions. (See earlier sections related to this approach.)
incorporate times for both sharing and dialogue in their meeting structure.

A Time for both Sharing and Dialogue

Sharing and dialogue are not the same -- they have different purposes and involve different processes.

Sharing, in this document, refers to the exchange of classroom ideas, quick tips, and rewarding/frustrating experiences.

Dialogue is the term for discussions that link theory and practice, and support critical and creative thinking abilities.

Professional literature suggests that both types of conversations are important. Sharing is described as important because teachers value ideas and advice that can be applied with relative ease to their classrooms. Dialogue is seen as equally important because:

not all classroom situations lend themselves to "quick fixes"
context is an important factor in successfully applying many practices
many instructional methods require understanding why you would use the practice and this understanding cannot be well described in 5 minutes or in five or six steps.

The following chart further develops these ideas and shows the best uses of Sharing and Dialogue.

What is Sharing?

an exchange of ideas and/or experiences but not formal presentations
may have a single focus -- such as the writing process -- or involve several topics
is personal, not authoritarian
focuses on classroom practices but not necessarily the theories behind practices
useful for sharing tips, techniques, relevant personal experiences, and general advice, but not for developing understanding of more complex methods
requires thoughtful replies but not judgement
relatively short contributions by most/all members
may turn into dialogue at any point

What is Dialogue?

a discussion but not a debate
has a focus on one complex issue/concern but is not an attempt to draw a single conclusion
is personal and not authoritarian
is an attempt to relate theory and practice, discussing not only how but also why
works best when people are willing to "dig deeper" and consider many alternative
requires open-mindedness and creativity but not an "anything goes" stance
helps participants develop principles and standards to use in assessing better or poorer alternatives
may turn into sharing at any point

A Dialogue is not a Debate

Dialogue is also used to refer to a type of discussion that is mutually supportive and respectful of cultural and gender differences in conversational styles. This type of discussion contrasts to a form of talk that is closer to the style used in formal debates.

The following chart makes some distinctions between dialogue and debate that are useful to develop a safe, comfortable, and inclusive atmosphere during network discussions.

A dialogue is . . .

a discussion with a focus of mutual interest
talk related to a topic that is perceived to be multifaceted
developed from a reflective or inquiring stance
inclusionary, valuing many perspectives
seeking common ground and connections between ideas
sensitive and responsive to feelings
listening empathetically
comfortable with silence, patient with many conversational styles and pace
open to a type of humour that unites or "laughs with"
agreeing to disagree when common ground or consensus cannot be reached

A debate is . . .

a set of arguments related to a topic that may or may not interest everyone
focused on a topic perceived as having two sides
developed from a competitive and persuasive stance
exclusionary, focused on "being right" and only valuing your own perspective
seeking to dominate and override/ change others' ideas
attempts to manipulate feelings
listening strategically
heated, fast-paced with frequent interruptions
sometimes sarcastic -- "laughs at"
continuing until there is a "winner" or time runs out

It is important to find a format for dialogue that is respectful of individual differences in conversational styles and confidence levels.

Dialogue is a more gender sensitive and culturally inclusive form of discussion than informal types of debating. An emphasis on (a) talking and listening to learn and (b) a slower pace are two important characteristics of dialogue.

Two important aspects of finding a useful and manageable topic for sharing and dialogue are:

focusing a large topic more specifically
ensuring that all members share a common understanding of the terminology used to describe the topic.

Selecting Topics for Dialogue and Sharing

Teachers in Curriculum Networks are in the best position to decide the topics of greatest interest or relevance to them at any one time. The network could use a form, such as the one in Section 1 (Interests and Concerns Inventory: Part B, p. 63), or spend some meeting time brainstorming a list of topics. Allow time to categorize your list into good topics for Sharing and good topics for Dialogue.

Some topics such as "Classroom Management" could become a useful focus for both Sharing and Dialogue. Teachers could prepare for the meeting/s on this topic by (a) selecting their favourite tip/technique for Sharing and (b) listing some questions/concerns related to larger classroom management issues for Dialogue time.

From Sharing to Dialogue to Action

One useful process for ensuring your network develops new understandings that can be applied in diverse classroom settings is to follow a format such as the following.

Focus, Share, Reflect and Discuss (Dialogue), Apply

focus a larger topic more specifically
share ideas related to the more specific topic
follow up Sharing with Dialogue to connect practice to theory
develop a mutual understanding
apply understanding by creating units compatible with new understanding or sharing/evaluating related resources

When teachers focus on a large topic more specifically, Sharing and Dialogue can be even more useful (e.g., instead of the broad topic "classroom management", focusing on specific management challenges related to student-centred instruction). As well, when a network group has developed a stronger, more shared understanding of a classroom practice, participants may wish to use this understanding in the co-operative development of units that incorporate that practice. The following is an example of the flow of one network's discussion and follow-up activities.

Example of Network Discussion and Follow-up Activities
Related to Classroom Management

Meeting 1

Sharing of Classroom Management tips and techniques.
General discussion in which many questions, concerns, ideas, and issues were raised and recorded.
One member noted that the group seemed to be moving into a Dialogue mode.
Decision to focus next meeting on Classroom Management using a Dialogue process.

Meeting 2
Dialogue related to Classroom Management concerns and interests raised in last meeting. Group tried to follow their record of interests and concerns, but found the discussion "jumped around" and differences of opinion broke some group norms.Facilitator suggests they break into a small-group format and select the topic/s on the list of most interest to each small group. Members agree.

One group notes that the application of each of their ideas related to Classroom Management depends on other things such as:

type of instructional strategy being used
students' age
lateness in the day/week
how much experience the teacher or students had with the strategy or teaching method.

Decision to focus next meeting on Sharing related to managing co-operative learning groups and student-teacher conferences. Dialogue to follow, if time.

Meeting 3

Sharing of tips and techniques related to managing co-operative groups and to student-teacher conferencing.
One member asks Why would I use this strategy in the first place? When would I use and not use this strategy?
Decision to focus Dialogue on the theory behind student-teacher conferences and co-operative learning.
Decision to develop two language arts units co-operatively that incorporate these instructional and evaluation practices. Units are to include guidelines for classroom management. Group divides into two groups for working on units.

Meetings 4, 5, and 6

Members select focus for units, divide tasks, do some between-meeting preparation, and work on developing the units.
Bring resources related to units and share ways to use them.
Units are completed. Members hold an "end-of-project" celebration.
Network members decide on their next focus.

A good way to maximize personal-professional growth in your network is to find ways to make links between theory and practice within all network activities

Linking Theory and Practice

The major differences between discussions focused on practice and discussions focused on theory are:

Practice

"how to's"
generalizes in the interest of wider applicability

Theory

"why to's and when to's"
qualifies in the interest of connecting to specific types of students and contexts

Ways to make connections between theory and practice within network dialogues include asking and seeking a range of answers to questions like those in the following chart.

A dilemma, by definition, pulls us in more than one direction and has no definitive solution. Many of the most important challenges that teachers face are like that -- if there were easy or final solutions to them, teachers would have found them long ago.

Questions that Connect Theory and Practice

If you started with a discussion of the Practice, move to an understanding of the Theory by asking:

Why would I include this practice in my classroom?
How will students benefit from this practice?
How might I benefit from using this practice?
Will some students benefit more than others from this practice?
When would I use/not use this practice?
How is this practice better than _____?
Are there other practices that are better or just as effective as this one?
What is the most important thing to know/remember about this practice?

If you started with a discussion of the Theory, move to an understanding of the Practice by asking:

What relevance do these ideas have for me?
What would this look like in practice?
How could I implement this in my classroom?
What are some classroom examples of this idea/theory/principle?
What do you mean when you say ________? Would that look more like this practice or that one?
How would I know if I was implementing that theory successfully? What would I be doing? What would my students be doing?

Responding to Teaching Dilemmas and Recurring and/or Common Problems

Teachers in Curriculum Networks will raise issues and concerns that are too important to dismiss and too complex to respond to by a Sharing process alone. Much literature concerning teachers' professional development converges on two ideas that are relevant to discussing thorny teaching/ learning issues and complex teaching concerns. These are that:

there is no effective substitute for reflection
collaborative discussion networks/school teams can be beneficial in supporting the reflective process.

(For further discussion of these ideas see, for example, Birchak et al., 1998; Dantonio, 1995; Evans & Mohr, 1999; Fullan, 1992; Joyce, Wolf, & Calhoun, 1993.)

When important dilemmas/problems surface in Curriculum Networks, experienced educators and group facilitators recommend that time be given to:

clearly defining the dilemma/problem in ways that all members agree with and understand
clarifying why the dilemma/problem is important to tackle
generating and evaluating a list of alternative "solutions" or ways to respond to the dilemma/problem.

Many problem-solving processes exist that offer help in completing these tasks. One example is the "What? Why? How" process described in the following chart.

Three questions are important in solving problems that network members want to focus on:

What is the real problem here?
Why is this problem important?
How can we respond to it constructively?

The "What? Why? How?" Process

What is the real problem?

1. To clarify the true nature of the problem/dilemma and reach a shared understanding, ask:
· What is the real issue here?
· Is there another issue behind this one that we are not discussing?
· Do we all understand the dilemma/problem in the same way?
· How are our experiences with this dilemma/problem different? The same?

2. Allow time for individual reflection on these and other related questions. Allow time during a meeting for individuals to write personal responses and to clarify in writing how they would answer the questions related to problem definition or assign this as a between-meeting task.

3. When it comes time to share individual ideas, work towards achieving a common definition and understanding of the problem. Ask each other:
· What do you mean when you say ____?
· Would this be an example of what causes you concern?
· Does it look more like this ____ or this ____?

Why is this problem important?

1. To clarify the importance of the dilemma/problem and the implications of not addressing it, ask:
· Why is this problem/dilemma so important?
· How am I affected by this problem/dilemma? How are others affected?
· What is at stake in tackling/ignoring this problem? for whom?

How can we respond to it constructively? What might some workable solutions look like?

1. Brainstorm a list of all possible ways to respond to the dilemma or problem. Do not evaluate ideas at this point.

2. Categorize ideas in some way that moves you closer to action. For example, Ideas that can be acted on now vs. Ideas that require further supports and other actions; or, Ideas for group action vs. Ideas for individual actions.

3. Devise a means to evaluate ideas the group might act on without hurting the feelings of members who contributed the ideas. Rather than go through the list evaluating individual ideas, you might ask participants to select two ideas they like, and reflect on and describe why they like them. Ask, What would a good idea look like to you? What conditions must a solution fulfill for it to be workable?

4. Alternatively, to find out more about workable solutions, you could make a group commitment that everyone chooses one idea from the list, tries it out in his/her own context, and reports back to the group on aspects of the results of implementing it.

Many teachers have identified pooling, sharing, and evaluating resources as of great benefit to them in implementing resource-based units. There are a number of ways that a network could go about these activities.

Section 3: Sharing and Evaluating Resources and Developing Units Co-operatively

This section contains suggestions for:

sharing and evaluating resources
collaborative unit development.

Sharing/Evaluating Resources

The implementation of Core Curriculum and the focus on Resource-based Learning have created many challenges for teachers and school divisions in terms of creating, sharing, and updating resource collections. Teacher Networks can adopt a positive approach to these challenges and members can offer one another a variety of mutual supports. A few ideas for a focus on resources are described in the following chart.

Suggestions for Supporting the Collecting, Sharing, and
Evaluating of Resources

Teachers who teach different subjects and grade levels might:

focus a Sharing time on general tips for collecting resources (types of resources they have found useful, places to get free materials)
brainstorm a list of resources available in the community, including human ones
hold a resource exchange (teachers who have changed grade levels or subject areas may have materials to trade, as might parents with books that have lost their relevance as their children have aged)
invite teacher librarian/s, resource-based learning consultant/s, other colleagues, and/or knowledgeable community members to assist in gathering and evaluating resources in all subject areas that portray human diversity in all its forms in positive, accurate, and respectful ways (Aboriginal Perspectives, Gender Equity, Multicultural Education, Special Education)
check the Saskatchewan Education websit to find: bibliographies of recommended resources, including lists of free resources, evaluations of websites with digital resources and on-line databases that have been licensed for Saskatchewan schools.
Teachers who teach the same subjects and grade levels might:
use the above ideas related to sharing, brainstorming, resource exchanges, and the collection of equitable resources
select a subject area and a more specific focus -- have every member bring his/her favourite two or three resources related to it, and share ways each uses the resources in her/his classroom
collect a variety of resources (print, video, audio, multimedia, pictorial, graphs/charts, on-line digital resources, names of knowledgeable community members) related to a particular unit, share them, and evaluate them using guidelines: from the related curriculum; related to gender equity, cross-cultural sensitivity, and other equity foci
develop a number of multimedia "theme boxes" to accompany particular units and devise a means for rotating them among members
invite a central office administrator/consultant, regional resource-based learning consultant, local librarians, and/or teacher librarians to a meeting. You might focus on members' resource needs; types of resources available in the division, region, or community; helpful ways to collect, evaluate, and share resources
Early Childhood educators (pre-kindergarten to Grade 3): Collect a variety of small manipulatives, books, pictures/photographs, figurines, puzzles, and other table or desktop activities related to particular stories or themes to create theme boxes for language development and imaginative play. Such boxes can be used in a variety of situations by: teachers, teacher/teacher associate and child, "reading buddy" and child, parent/supportive adult and child, two children, or small group of children.

A chart like "Co-operative Unit Development" may help your Network prevent or work through some common problems.

Approaches to Collaborative Unit Development

1. Begin with an awareness of some of the challenges of co-operative unit development and a positive attitude towards responding to them.

Some of the main challenges that may arise and ways to approach them are described in chart format.

Co-operative Unit Development
Potential Challenges variations in the amount of experience and/or understanding individual members have with curriculum selected	Responses Develop a process for finding out "who knows what" in relation to the curriculum guide and subject area. Have members volunteer to learn about areas not covered. Incorporate time for group members to share what they know and have tried. Develop short definitions or descriptions of important concepts and terms as a group -- ones that all members understand and agree upon.
time-consuming nature of collaborative developmen	Brainstorm and post a list of tasks to be accomplished. Develop a process for deciding which tasks can be done as a group and those best done by individuals or pairs. Have all materials that might be needed, available in sufficient quantities. Work in, or adjacent to, a well-stocked school library, and an internet access site, if possible.
variations in the time members have for working on development between meetings	Discuss and develop guidelines for the amount of additional time to be spent -- ones that seem fair to all. Working beyond the agreed-upon hours would be a choice and not an expectation. Accomplish as much work as possible during network meetings.
difficulties in dividing tasks equally	Estimate time allotments and make adjustments to workloads as you go. Have members log the time spent on individual tasks. Share these and find ways to even out workloads.
uneven quality among contributions	Discuss this possibility openly before you start. Decide on a process for improving all contributions in a thoughtful manner or decide to leave improvements to quality up to individual members at the time they implement the unit. Do not make any group judgements about quality. Assume participants have done their best and will ask for suggestions for improvements if they want them. Do not offer suggestions if individuals do not ask.
overenthusiasm at beginning - flagging energy towards end	Discuss this possibility and agree to "start small". Your first unit may be more like a mini-unit. If you are successful in developing a one week unit, you may decide your group is ready to tackle a larger project.
more ideas than time available	Agree to use some of your "good ideas" as individual participants or in your next unit.

End your network activities each term/ year in the spirit you want to resume them the following year. Reflect back over challenges and accomplishments, look forward to new projects, and celebrate the establishment of common bonds.

2. Brainstorm a number of approaches to use and select ones that best meet the groups' current needs.

Examples of possible approaches include:

Select a subject area to pursue. In pairs or groups of three, develop a number of units in that subject area.
Work on one unit as a large group and divide tasks as evenly as possible.
Choose a particular instructional strategy/assessment technique of interest to the entire group. Each individual develops one lesson, or short sequence of lessons, that would appropriately incorporate the strategy/ assessment technique (lessons may come from a variety of subject areas). Later, members can incorporate these into their own units.
Develop a unit that integrates two or three subject areas and divide into groups by subject area. Develop a culminating activity that incorporates all the subject areas selected by the whole group.

3. Use the Core Curriculum guide in each subject area as your reference point.

To ensure your ideas are consistent with the curriculum's intentions and approaches, check with relevant sections of the guide. When in doubt, use the guide as the final arbiter. This can lessen conflicts between members with differing points of view and may strengthen your case when seeking release time for development activities.

Ideas for Unit Foci

The appendices of this Handbook are devoted to planning and assessment tools, in chart format. Appendix B contains suggestions for foci for the co-operative development of units. The suggestions for aspects of curricula to focus on include aspects from most subject areas and grade levels. Foci include particular curriculum elements that learning assessments, curriculum evaluations, and other forms of feedback have shown to be important.

Culminating Activities: Celebrating, Reflecting Back, Looking Forward

The end of a school term or year can offer network members opportunities to:

celebrate accomplishments
reflect upon challenges and rewards
plan improvements to group processes and new topics/activities for next term/year.

Teachers experienced with Curriculum Networks or teacher study groups recommend at least one full meeting, near the end of the year, to reflect on and discuss challenges, rewards, improvements, and new topics and activities. Also stressed is the community-building potential within celebrations of mutual accomplishments. In the end, enjoyment and the growth of common bonds are factors that will make your network successful. Take the time to honour all members' contributions and to celebrate the bonds that have developed.