Creating a teacher collaborative practice in a South African primary school: The role of the principal

Abstract

The study focussed on the experiences of a principal in developing a collaborative practice for teachers in his school. A qualitative research design was employed to determine the views of the principal in initiating and maintaining a collaborative culture in the primary school. A narrative analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings show the necessity of supportive leadership, how important it is for teachers to share their intellectual property and the benefit of creating supportive conditions for teacher collaboration. The study provides a tentative theoretical framework for a better understanding of the role of leadership in teacher collaboration and suggestions for teachers who would like to develop practical learning communities in their schools.