This study explores novice teachers’ experiences as team leaders for school-community partnerships. Six focal teachers who were enrolled in an MA program in teacher development and leadership were recruited for the study. The focal teachers volunteered to serve as leaders of a reading-focused community involvement activity as members of their schools’ improvement teams. Based on the focal teachers’ experiences, this article describes obstacles to collaboration and three responses to these obstacles (neglecting the process to get the job done, doing too much with too little, and failing to follow through) that influenced the outcomes of the activities. These findings are discussed in light of current school reform efforts that rely on team structures and approaches.
Charmaz, K. (2000). Grounded theory: Objectivist and constructivist methods. In N. Denzin & T. Y. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 509-536). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
2.
Comer, J. (1993). School power: Implications of an intervention project. New York: Free Press.
3.
Comer, J., & Haynes, N. (1991). Parent involvement in schools: An ecological approach. The Elementary School Journal, 91(3), 271-277.
4.
Crow, G., & Pounder, D. (2000). Interdisciplinary teacher teams: Context, design, and process. Educational Administration Quarterly, 36, 216-254.
5.
Elmore, R. (2000). Building a new structure for school leadership. Washington, DC: The Albert Shanker Institute.
6.
Epstein, J. L. (1995). School/family/community partnerships: Caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701-712.
7.
Gray, B. (1991). Collaborating: Finding common ground for multiparty problems. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
8.
Harris, B., & Drake, S. (1997). Implementing high school reform through school-wide action research teams: A three year case study. Action in Teacher Education, 19, 15-31.
9.
Heath, S. B., & McLaughlin, M. W. (1987, April). A child resource policy: Moving beyond dependence on school and family. Phi Delta Kappan, 68, 576-580.
10.
Johnson, B., Jr. (1998). Organizing for collaboration: A reconsideration of some basic organizing principles (pp. 9-26).). In D. Pounder (Ed.), Restructuring schools for collaboration. Albany: State University of New York Press.
11.
Johnson, J., Jr., & Ginsberg, M. (1996, November). Building capacity through school support teams. Educational Leadership, 54, 80-82.
12.
Lamson, P., & Bell, S. (1997). Building a learning community. Thrust for Educational Leadership, 26, 32-34.
13.
Melaville, A. (1998). Learning together: The developing field of school-community initiatives. Flint, MI: Mott Foundation.
14.
Mitchell, A. (1997). Teacher identity: A key to increased collaboration. Action in Teacher Education, 19, 1-14.
15.
Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (1994). America’s teachers: Profile of a profession, 1993-94. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
16.
Ogawa, R. T., & Bossert, S. T. (1995). Leadership as an organizational quality. Educational Administration Quarterly, 31, 224-243.
17.
Rubin, H. (2002). Collaborative leadership: Developing effective partnerships in communities and schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
18.
Sanders, M. (2001). A study of the role of “community” in comprehensive school, family, and community partnership programs. The Elementary School Journal, 102(1), 19-34.
19.
Sanders, M. G., Allen-Jones, G. A., & Abel, Y. (2002). Involving families and communities in the education of children and youth placed at-risk. In S. Stringfield & D. Land (Eds.), Educating at risk students (pp. 171-188). Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education.
20.
Sanders M. G., & Epstein J. L. (2000). The national network of partnership schools: How research influences educational practice. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk, 5(1 & 2), 61-76.
21.
Smylie, M., Conley, S., & Marks, H. (2002). Building leadership into the roles of teachers. In J. Murphy (Ed.), The educational leadership challenge: Redefining leadership for the 21st century (pp. 162-188). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
22.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
23.
Trimble, S., & Miller, J. (1996). Creating, invigorating, and sustaining effective teams. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 80, 35-40.
24.
Uline, C., Tschannen-Moran, M., & Perez, L. (2003). Constructive conflict: How controversy can contribute to school improvement. Teachers College Record, 105(5), 782-816.
25.
Welch, M. (1998). Collaboration: Staying on the bandwagon. Journal of Teacher Education, 49(1), 26-37.
26.
Yin, R. K. (1994). Case study research design and methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
