Working Together: Cooperation, Collaboration, and Coalition
We know that we can achieve more when we work together with others. This is true in our personal lives, it’s true in a business venture, it’s true for students, and it’s true for teachers.
So, what’s the difference between these three C words? When and how can we use each type of working together?
Cooperation literally means “operating together”
Children cooperate when they play in the sandbox side by side without knocking down each other’s sandcastles and without grabbing each other’s toys. We get along, each with our own projects or tasks. Sometimes, we might borrow a shovel, but we basically don’t interfere with each other. We don’t have to guard our stuff, worried that somebody else will interfere. When it’s working well, we might also get good ideas from each other.
Collaboration literally means “laboring together.”
When we collaborate, we join forces because we have a common goal. We share ideas and strategies. We may divide the tasks to be more efficient. When it’s working well, we are much more productive than we could be alone.
The term coalition comes from a French word that means “growing together or parts”.
A coalition is a temporary alliance of groups to achieve a common purpose. In a coalition, people pool their resources and seek others to align on their goal. A coalition is much more influential than a lone voice, so we often find coalitions focused on a cause.
How do these three terms apply in our work as teachers?
In the classroom, we want students to treat each other respectfully, to refrain from bullying and ostracizing, and to get along. They may share ideas and materials, but our students are each focused on their own work. That’s cooperation.
If we invite them to work together on a project, that involves other skills. They need to learn to listen to different perspectives, come to consensus, and make compromises. They need to divide responsibilities and trust each other to follow through. They also need to learn how to handle it when someone doesn’t pull their share. That’s collaboration.
When a group of students band together and approach you with a message, “we’ve decided that it’s not fair when….” you know they have formed a coalition. Together, they are much more powerful in getting your attention, right? We teachers often experience that moment like a threat to our authority. We want to shut them down. But think about the sophisticated skills it takes for them to organize, to have a clear message, and to persuade their classmates. This is a moment to be celebrated if they think there is a chance that YOU will hear them. They are learning life skills that are fundamental to our democracy. Your response will be remembered long after they’ve left your classroom.
Just a question in closing -- how do these 3 terms apply to your school faculty?
I certainly hope that you cooperate -- that makes life so much more pleasant.
How much and how well do you collaborate? Sharing your work as teachers lightens the load and leads to more effective teaching and learning.
When do you and other teachers form coalitions because you believe strongly in a cause? Don’t give up! There is power in your joined voices.
