Section 26.450  Collaborative Relationships

The competent elementary teacher understands the role of the community in education and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/family, and the community to promote the cognitive, social, emotional, moral/ethical, and physical growth of all learners.

a)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent elementary teacher:

1)         understands schools as organizations within the larger community context.

2)         understands the benefits of, barriers to, and techniques for working collaboratively with parents/family, community, colleagues, specialists, support personnel, and administrators.

3)         understands school- and work-based learning environments and the need for collaboration with business organizations in the community.

b)         Performance Indicators – The competent elementary teacher:

1)         initiates and creates situations for collaborative decision-making and problem-solving with parents/family and other professionals, including colleagues, specialists, and support personnel, to facilitate students' progress and advocate for students' needs.

2)         develops relationships with parents/family and other community professionals in a professional manner that is fair and equitable in order to acquire an understanding of the students' lives outside of the school.

3)         works effectively with parents/family and other members of the community from diverse homes and community situations.

4)         identifies and uses community resources to enhance students' learning and to provide opportunities for students to explore career opportunities.