The ideal, real and surreal in school–university partnerships: reflections of a boundary spanner

Abstract

Few would argue with the concept that a school–university partnership has the potential of creating positive outcomes for both universities and schools. The practice, however, is far harder to achieve, and explaining the processes as well as the outcomes is often hardest of all. The purpose of this paper is to describe the role of the “boundary spanner” who facilitates the development of school–university partnerships. As a university-based boundary spanner, the author finds it useful to liken the processes and outcomes of partnering to the surreal art of Rene Magritte. First the author describes the ideal school-university partnership, then offers some examples of the real issues that emerge while building partnerships, and finally, analyzes the surreal aspects of boundary spanning. In the conclusion, the author offers specific suggestions for developing school–university partnerships as one accepts the necessarily surreal quality of the work.