REVISED Personal Philosophy Statement

Author Ralph Ellison said, Education is all a matter of building bridges. In a way, that
describes the purpose of special education. For students with disabilities, special educators are
charged with the responsibility of bridging gaps in academic understanding, behavioral
challenges, and deficient life skills. They cannot possibly achieve this daunting task without the
help of others also investing in these students. Collaboration is the process that makes it possible
for the educator to help the student bridge the gaps.
Collaboration is vital in special education in order to have a complete picture of a students
strengths, weaknesses, and needs. Input from regular education teachers, parents, counselors,
other professionals, and even the student themselves is necessary to provide as much information
as possible. Once a complete picture is obtained, ongoing collaboration among educators must
occur to develop effective supports to address student weaknesses. Collaboration with parents
also needs to take place so student progress can be communicated and interventions can be
reinforced at home, if possible. A secondary reason collaboration is important is to meet the legal
requirements mandates by current legislation. Ultimately, collaboration is crucial, not just to
special education, but for schools as a whole to improve overall student performance and
strengthen all teachers instructional practices.
Collaboration hinges on shared goals, trust, and communication. All involved parties must
be unified toward the common mission of making the student successful while in school. And,
when faced with high school graduation creating a new shared goal is necessary for transitioning
to post-secondary activities. Those involved must trust each other and communicate effectively
and regularly with each other. Developing and maintaining trust among team members is

critical for effective collaboration. All team members must feel like equal parts of the group
and be comfortable sharing honest thoughts and opinions with each other. While verbal
communication is the primary means for sharing information, nonverbal messages are the
primary means of communicating emotions and attitudes. For information to be properly
communicated, group members must also practice good listening skills. This involves
hearing what is being said, attending to what is being said, understanding what is being
said, responding to what is being said, and remembering what is being said. Without good
communication, collaboration among team members would be ineffective.
I believe potential barriers to collaboration first begin with confusion about what
collaboration actually is. There are numerous interpretations about what it means to collaborate.
So, without those involved having a clear understanding of the meaning of the process, any
attempts at collaboration will be ineffective. Another potential barrier that might prevent
collaboration would involve the school structure not being conducive to the process. This may
be the result of unsupportive leadership, uncooperative teachers, or simply the school schedule
not providing time or resources that would make collaboration possible. Instead of promoting a
school culture of isolation, school leaders should encourage collaboration as much as possible.
Whether it be formal or informal collaboration, teachers need the time and resources to
participate in the process.
According to the text, collaboration is a style for direct interaction between at least two
coequal parties voluntarily engaged in shared decision making as they work toward a common
goal. (p. 6) Despite some interpretations, collaboration does not simply refer to inclusion
practices or co-teaching. Regarding special education, it is a style of interaction used to identify
students with disabilities and provide the services and supports needed to allow those students to

find success in and out of the classroom. The requirements mandated by federal law necessitate
collaboration among teachers, parents, and other professionals. This is often conducted in a
formal manner beginning with the identification and evaluation process and continuing with IEP
meetings and progress monitoring. Ideally, this process begins in early elementary school and
continued as needed thereafter. Special educators collaborate with various professionals such as
speech/language therapists, behavioral specialists, technology specialists, and numerous others.
They would also collaborate with coworkers at their school including the school nurse, guidance
counselors, and other teachers involved with the student.
Culture can have a significant impact on how effective the collaborative process can be. If
cultural differences exist between the special education teacher and the child and his/her family,
that must be taken into consideration. For example, a white female teacher might have different
expectations for a young Hispanic female student than her parents do simply as a matter of
cultural differences. All parties involved should be clear about the values, beliefs, and
expectations of the child and their family before discussing educational goals, possible support
services, or future plans. Compared to the involved educators and professionals, the parents and
student should have equal input in the decision making process. There is no place for disparity in
the collaboration process. This applies to many aspects of the relationship, especially power. If
there is a sense that someone in the collaborative group has more power than others, many
involved may believe the entire process is in vain. If they believe their ideas and input dont
matter, because the ultimate decision rests on one or two individuals, then they will likely
become resentful and uncooperative.
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students and families may or may not share
the same goals and values as that of the involved educator. One of the first steps in

collaborating with CLD families is for the educator to acknowledge their own culture,
values, and beliefs. Although the educator and family may have quite different cultures
and perspectives, it is crucial that the family feel respected and empowered in the
collaborative process. It is common for language differences to pose challenges to effective
communication. Even if the same language is spoken, educational jargon can often be
confusing and easily misunderstood. When teachers collaborate with CLD parents, they
must ensure language does not become a barrier to the process.
Collaboration enhances the productivity of numerous industries, and education is no
exception. It benefits the school by improving school culture and achievement as teachers and
students take ownership of their actions. It benefits teachers by refining their instructional
practices to be more effective. It benefits students by developing plans best suited to meet their
individual needs and ensure success. If education is all about building bridges, then
collaboration is the means by which the bridges can be built to allow students access to a future.