A group of six adults, five men and one woman, are seated around a table with papers, engaged in a discussion in a painterly style.

When I first joined a seasoned teaching team, I was eager to contribute. The other teachers had worked together for years—one had even been a student teacher under the lead veteran. Their rhythm was well-established, their themes familiar: superheroes, camping, movies. I respected their dedication and creativity. But I quickly noticed something else. Every planning session began with open questions: “What do you want to do?” “Any ideas to add?” But after an hour of discussion, we always circled back to one teacher’s original plan. It wasn’t overt control—it was subtler than that. A kind of gravitational pull toward sameness. And it left little room for others to shine. I realized I wasn’t experiencing collaboration. I was being nudged into conformity. 🔍 What’s the Difference? Collaboration is a shared space where ideas are exchanged, refined, and respected. It’s messy, creative, and often unpredictable. Conformity is when one voice dominates, even unintentionally, and others feel pressured to align for the sake of unity—or approval. See more