Collaborativeness

Collaboration is very important between teachers so as to create effective courses. Also it allows teachers to understand what will be covered in other classes and get a better idea of what they are working with first of all but also what to teach. Without collaboration teaching may not evolve and improve. It also provides ideas and inspiration. Teachers have the option of incorporating what they choose, but collaboration can help further ideas and opportunities.
In order for a team or group to be effective the members must be able to work together. You do not even need to like working with one another or for that matter like each other. In order to be highly successful I feel you do need that element of chemistry and ability to get along. Individuals however do not benefit a team. It is like the US Olympic basketball teams of the early 2000's. They won a few games simply because of their level of talent over most other countries. They could not however win gold until they all got together and began working together for a common goal. They put aside their individual talents and emphasized team play, which resulted in gold in the most recent games. For successful teams each member must be able to and willing to work with one another, and this easily transfers to the classroom. I feel it is important to incorporate collaboration into the classroom for variety; kids enjoy working with their peers.
I struggled with this topic because it is hard for me to find differences in collaboration and group work in regards to classroom use and learning. In my mind there is a definite difference, but I cannot find how to put it into words. I felt that collaboration was a group of people working towards a common purpose. But then I thought what is the aim of group work? It seems the same. To find an answer I began reading other blogs, and definitely feel that I have found the answer. The difference is a matter of choice. Group work can be assigned regardless of whether the students want to work together for one reason or another. Collaboration is a mutual desire to work together on soemthing. The aim of group work is learning, whereas the aim of collaboration is achieve something, and learning occurs as though it is "along for the ride" in a sense.

-Mike