Historically schools have structured
themselves in such a way that teachers and students focused
specifically on one grade level at a time which directly impacted
one year of education. We believe that in order to raise
rigor, focus on relevance and improve relationships teachers and
students need to concentrate not only on grade level horizontal
teams but plan, collaborate and make the necessary adjustments
across grade levels for an individualized educational experience.
Through the development of the 21st
Century Model School, the Harless Center has seen positive results
in student performance by teachers working together in vertical
teams to see the “big picture.” By doing so, skills are
developed without gaps, thinking is deepened, and both students and
teachers work with the end in mind.
The graphic illustrates how vertical and
horizontal teams effectively collaborate to form a seamless
curriculum.
