Get the Big Picture of Teaming
Kathleen M. Brown · 2000
Reflecting the admonitions of John Dewey that “the school must itself be a community life” (1966, p. 358), middle school reformers advocate interdisciplinary teaming as a wise practice in creating a “small community of learn-ing” (Carnegie Task Force, 1989). This multi-site qualitative case study was conducted to understand and describe the nature and structural organization of interdisciplinary teaming as it either contributes to or hinders the creation of a sense of community and care for students and teachers. Get the Big Picture: Eliminate Isolation and Competition Through Focus, Leadership and Professional Development emphasizes the necessity of a team mission that is not vague, not ambiguous, and not fuzzy, but rather clear, understood, and able to be implemented. In an effort to avoid the negatives (isolation, loss of objectivity, competition), a proactive leader stressing proper training is vital!