A Cross Cultural, Comparative Analysis of Teamwork to Embrace Diversity in Schools

Abstract

Increasing diversity in schools today is prompting schools around the world to find effective means of addressing this diversity. Effective collaboration among educational professionals (teachers and other service providers) as a team is one key variable in effectively meeting the demands posed by diversity in classrooms. Responses (n =210) from special education and general education professionals in Spain and the United States to a survey, were analyzed to study how teachers and service providers in different schools from the two countries perceived team functioning. The study also compared team make-up and team functioning in schools in the two countries. The respondents expressed a need for continuous within-teams review of the goals ensuring parental input and parental satisfaction enabling the team to evaluate their success in achieving the goals set initially. Respondents from both countries did not perceive family input and involvement as being valued relative to their teaming. This paper discusses results, implications, and directions for schools, educators, and future research.