Department of Educational Psychology
Date of this Version
September 1992
Abstract
In the first of what certainly will be many thoughtful and provocative articles to appear in this column, Witt (1990) questioned the validity of the broadly accepted mandate that "our consultative interactions be collaborative” (p. 367). He continued with anecdotes illustrating ineffective teaching practices and deficient teacher skills which mitigated against the desirability of a "true" collaborative approach. The title of the article articulates Witt’s stated purpose: "Collaboration in School-Based Consultation: Myth in Need of Data." My purpose in this article is not to argue for or against Witt’s position. Rather, I suggest that we go beyond this argument and consider a more meaningful framework to describe the manner in which these processes interact dynamically and reciprocally to promote our shared goals of educating and socializing youth. Likewise, I discuss potential implications of failing to acknowledge key aspects of collaboration within the practice of consultation.
Comments
Published in JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION, 3(1), 89-92. Copyright 1992, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Used by permission.