This year, for the first time, the three sections of the Benton Community Composition I concurrent enrollment course are being taught by three different Benton teachers. The unique situation arose due to a reshuffling of teaching assignments in order to house each of the grades nine through eleven language arts courses under individual teachers. What may have been unintentional has worked out to be a happy accident.
Having three different Composition I teachers at Benton has provided the opportunity for more collaboration. Jen Knaack, Kasey Hullett, and Heather Mayrose meet weekly to discuss lesson plans, writing assignments, student needs, and the future of the course. All three have taught the course at various times in the past and with their own personal flair. They agree that this has been their best experience with it yet, because of the collaborative element. “I think being able to collaborate with other teachers creates better building culture and high-quality instruction. As the students would say, ‘the vibes are immaculate.’ When that happens, we become a more driven and successful team,” says Hullett.
The collaboration benefits students as much as teachers, as Knaack points out: “Collaboration between the teachers creates consistency for students. We are able to work together to create a positive learning environment for students by working together and building upon each other's ideas. I really just enjoy having colleagues to work through problem-solving and idea creation.”
The teachers have been able share their unique educational experiences and teaching talents to learn from one another and create meaningful and cohesive learning opportunities for their students.