Collaborative Group Project

Collaborative Group Project

Differences that Impact Collaborative Relationships

And Strategies to Embrace and Encourage Collaboration

California State University, Sacramento

EDS 101: Consultation Skills in Inclusive and Supportive Environments

Spring 2005, Dr. EunMi Cho

Table of Contents

Cover Page 1

Table of Contents 2

Group Activities 3

Individual Contribution 3

Content of Group Work 3

Strategy 6

Conclusion/Group Reflection 7

Reference List 8

Evaluation Form 9

List of Resources 10

Individual Contribution

Jackie Thomas-I interviewed two parents of children that receive special education services. I also interviewed the Elk Grove School District's Director of Special Education. I also interviewed a caseworker for the Alta Regional Center.

Julia Baggett-I talked to Susan Clarabut, Nevada County Assistant Superintendent of Special Education. I also visited First Five of Nevada County and did further research on the Internet.

Aleyda Sweeney-I contacted my local schools, Matsuyama and Lisbon Elementary. I also shared reflections of my own cultural and communication differences. Finally, I helped put together a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class.

Britton Brown-I contacted Placer Union High School District and Auburn Elementary School District to learn what multicultural resources were available.

Beth Miller- I went to John Morse Waldorf School where I asked teachers, resource and office personal about information pertaining to cultural differences.

Group Work

Special needs students rely on the support and cooperation of the people around them, including school professionals, parents and extended family. Team members comfortable with each other's communication style ensures the student achieves their full potential through the best education possible. Yet there are many differences among people that may impact collaboration. To identify and address these differences, our group conducted one brainstorming and three follow-up sessions. Five categories of differences (communication, values, biases and behaviors, policy and individual characteristics) were identified, as were strategies to overcome them. Each member was assigned a section to cover. The following is our combined findings.

Collaboration within the public schools faces many challenges due to our country's multicultural nature. In the video "Unique and Impersonal Approach to Education," Dr. Susan Steinbach defined three communication styles: rugby, bowling, and basketball. Misunderstandings arise when school officials and families rely on different communication styles. Rugby focuses on camaraderie, loud talking with more than one person speaking at a time. Rugby is the dominant style in Middle Eastern, Latin American and African cultures. Bowling, on the other hand, focuses on the individual. Participants enter conversations one at a time and take turns equally. Interactions are carefully orchestrated with respect for authority. Bowling is the dominant style in most Asian countries. In basketball, who controls ball controls the conversation. It is okay for others to steal the ball when they desire to speak. Basketball falls somewhere in between rugby and bowling and inherits characteristics for both styles. Basketball is the dominant style in the United States.

Communication is not the only barrier to strong collaboration. Personal biases also hinder effective professional encounters. They include age, gender and family structure, hierarchy and participation discrimination. It is imperative for professionals to reflectively analyze their attitudes about different ethnic, racial, gender and socioeconomic groups. Only then can partnerships based on sharing and trust, develop to ensure that goals and action plans reflect family strengths, perspectives and values.

Cultural differences also affect how team members view individual roles. The special education team consists of school professionals together with the student's family. Some parents assume professionals have all the answers. In this regard, participation feels forced, as if professionals only wish to showcase knowledge. Other parents feel shame about their child's special needs or pride in not accepting help. There has been a heavy "...emphasis [on parents] as a victim or patient...who needs to go through a reaction before point of acceptance" (Harry, 2002). Unclear or unsure about their role, parents shut down or agree to any and every thing.

Though school professionals and students spend much of the day together, their community also affects students. Educators of students from cultures that do not emphasize sole dependency on parents as caregivers may find collaboration difficult. Many cultures believe that it takes a community to raise a child.

Educators see school as a place where "students are encouraged to express their feelings, thoughts and attitudes concerning an event or problem" (Dwairy, 2005). If this is not the case in the student's culture, understanding or willingness to participate will not be there. Many cultures have strict rules about when a child speaks, if ever, and expresses emotions.

Special education policies also hinder collaboration. Biased assessments result in cultural disadvantages. The predominance of hierarchical school structures creates a lack of parity.