Linwood Middle School uses a total team subject area approach to teaching. Therefore, teachers have a strong interest in collaborative work. They meet as a team every day for one period and one day per week (maybe two at the beginning of the year in September) for subject area grade level meeting. It is during this time that discussion on curricular issues takes place such as what is working well and what is not working regarding instruction.

"Pay It Forward: Act of Kindness" began as an idea by one teacher, but grew with input from all teachers in the 7th grade writing program. First, discussion took place between themselves, then was shared with their respective teams (all core subject areas) and collaborative ideas were offered especially from math and social studies colleagues.

Teachers and students worked in and out the class time to make many of the project pieces come to life. Now that we are working together to prepare for doing the project again next year, all changes and additions to the instructional/ student independent portions have been openly discussed and agreed to by mutual consent of all teachers involved.