Improving Relationships Within the Schoolhouse

31 Roland S. Barth 2006 Improving Relationships Within the Schoolhouse Roland Barth dares to discuss "the elephant in the room" in this recent Educational Leadership article (March 2006) -- by which he means the various ways educators compete with and isolate themselves from one another. Relationships among educators within a school range from vigorously healthy to dangerously competitive, Barth says. If school and teacher leaders can work together to strengthen those relationships, "you improve professional practice." Barth sorts relationships into four categories -- parallel play, adversarial relationships, congenial relationships, and collegial relationships -- then discusses each and lays out a strategy that can help schools "to promote a culture of collegiality within the schoolhouse." Is it time to go elephant hunting in your school? Barth, R.S. (2006). Improving relationships within the schoolhouse. Educational leadership (March 2006, Vol. 63, No. 6). Retrieved from ASCD 12 May 2008. http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.459dee008f99653fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journaltypeheaderimage=%2FASCD%2Fimages%2Fmultifiles%2Fpublications%2Felmast.gif&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_viewID=article_view&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalmoid=df75f993dac99010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_articlemoid=d8a5f993dac99010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalTypePersonalization=ASCD_EL&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.459dee008f99653fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journaltypeheaderimage=%2FASCD%2Fimages%2Fmultif