How Teaming Influences Classroom Practices

Successful middle grades classrooms come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are colorful and stress creativity. Others are open and welcoming. All are active laboratories for the goals and programs of the school. Although schools operate on multiple levels — school-wide, grade level, interdisciplinary team, and classroom — it is the implementation of programs and practices at the classroom level that is most critical for improving student success. The classroom is where curriculum and instructional practices intersect with individual teachers and students. It is the place where goals are implemented and their impact is immediately observed in the teaching-learning process. Schools must establish good communication and collaboration among the people at each level of decision making to effectively implement classroom instructional activities. It is imperative, therefore, that teachers are included in the decision-making process regarding the implementation of curriculum and learning practices in their classrooms. At the same time, classroom teachers should understand that they cannot operate their classroom independently of the goals of the school. This article will summarize research findings related to measuring effective classroom practices, the aspects of interdisciplinary teaming that affect practices at the classroom level, and how classroom practices relate to student achievement. The longitudinal data described below were collected from a group of 70 middle grades schools in Michigan that are part of the Middle Start Initiative funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. The 70 Middle Start schools participated in the Center for Prevention Research and Development’s (CPRD) School Improvement SelfStudy in 1994-95, 1996-97, and 1998-99. These data were collected from nearly 2,000 teachers and 23,000 students.