Some more on collaboration

So much literature tells us that collaboration is the way to go.  But what if you are not really a people person or into working with others?  There are  experienced teachers who are content with the way they are teaching and don't appreciate a young TL invading their space.  There are first year out teachers who know it all after finishing uni.  We all know people on staff like that.  So how should a TL approach one of these teachers? 

I think first of all you need to consider the culture of collaboration already in the school (if there is one).  See how teachers collaborate within faculties and between faculties (I'm talking secondary schools here),  Join in where you can and observe how the teachers interact with each other.  I think sometimes the TL has to be part psychologist as well.  To get to the hard to reach teachers you must tread softly softly. 

In the past when I was a temporary TL I would be constantly visiting the different faculties first thing in the morning to see what teachers were up to.  ( In the morning they are less likely to be tired or frustrated from teaching).  I would let them know a few ways that I could help them, make their job easier.  Presented like that I found very few teachers knocked back some "help".  When classes came to the library I would make myself useful.  I regularly went throught the teacher's resource section, and left related resources on teacher's desks.  My thoughts are if you present yourself as a friendly, helpful person, the hard-to-reach teacher gradually relaxes in your company and opens up more, making it eaier for you to work together. 

Once you've got a foot in the door and teachers start seeing results, collaboration can go a long way.