Collaborative Planning: Methods and Challenges for Elementary School Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the collaborative planning methods and challenges of elementary school teachers. Interviews with 18 educators from a suburban school were conducted to analyze planning collaboratively from the perspective of classroom teachers. Each grade level was interviewed as a team and asked a series of questions. Following each interview, answers were transcribed and analyzed for themes. Common themes emerged from the interviews and were then identified with the use of a table. Most teams agreed that collaborative planning involved sharing ideas and resources so that standards taught were consistent and student achievement would improve. Teachers from each grade level agreed that this consistency did not impact individual teaching styles. While many teams recognized the benefits of regular team planning, all teams concluded that finding the time to plan was the biggest challenge and impacted their ability to plan together regularly. All teams communicated on a daily basis in a variety of ways, but very few teams actually participated in formal collaborative planning. Further research and interviews are needed in the area of collaborative planning to draw conclusions about the methods and challenges elementary school teachers face.