John Mahoney, an award-winning math teacher at Sidwell Friends School in the District who wants to use his talents to help public school children next fall, said that finding a collaborative school community will be important to him when he makes his move. Such an environment means more than sharing doughnuts at breakfast. But it happens in bigger schools, too, when administrators demand it. You can establish a pattern. It's less likely kids will fall through the cracks.
Collaboration also leads to curriculum integration that improves learning, educators say.
At Stewart, teachers work in teams of four to create an integrated curriculum. It is an arrangement many teachers can only dream of. Christine Mosteller, a highly regarded history teacher at Deal Junior High School in the District, said she is part of a team of teachers whose mission is to coordinate history with art and English. It hasn't met in at least three years. But we haven't met because of the way the scheduling works.