Professional Collaboration

On the other hand, beginning teachers must also acquire the skills to work in tandem with colleagues as a step to further evolving their professional careers. This collaboration promotes the ideas of shared collective responsibility for student outcomes as it divides daily tasks such as planning, decision making and problem solving amongst colleagues (Killion, 2012). This collaboration amongst colleagues involves continual observations and feedback to create scenarios of professional dialogue that affords room for experimentation and criticism. Schools approach this avenue successfully by forming a foundation of pedological knowledge that is shared amongst the school, instead of being retained individually (Brook et al 2007). When working in

Openings are created to learn from colleagues as this knowledge and skills are acquired and various solutions become available to tackle any future problems (AITS, 2011, p.9). Progression will eventuate as educators openly discuss and modify their practices in liaison with a unified standard of teaching quality (Darling-Hammond and Richardson, 2009). These collaborations become evident through the use of a variety of activities, be they on an informal basis such as on the spare of the moment to a more formalised basis, which includes planned professional learning communities (PLCs). Palmer (1998, p.169-174), asserts that teachers must create a professional culture that can offer honest and sincere dialogue as he suggests by using the strategy that of talking about “critical moments”, which include both the successes and struggles relating to each teacher’s experience. At its best, working in tandem with colleagues helps to create a community that gives input to the sharing knowledge, pedagogy and amicable solutions in striving for a common goal. Therefore, this collective activity is viewed as an enriching professional learning

Ingersoll (2012, p.47) argues that in general, teachers are creatures of independent habit and this isolation proves to a be hurdle for newcomers as it becomes comparable to a feeling of being “lost at sea”. Palmer (1998, p.170) reinforces these implications of the teaching profession in instances being one of isolation can be concluded from its nature of competitiveness and “privatisation” that has thwarted collaboration and slowed down the progressiveness of this profession. As a beginning teacher one navigates through the phases of survival as they wade through confusion and managing issues to overcome this “great confrontation” (Ryan, 1986, p.11). Burke states that collegial support and professional collaboration remains as the third and fourth most contributing factors in determining the teacher’s choice whether to continue or exit the profession (2013). Thus, there needs to be a more cohesive effort towards collaboration amongst teachers that expands beyond the school environment to draw upon the expertise to be found in the broader community. It is correct to assume that for any major change to eventuate the strategy must come from within the whole school program. However, all this remains dependent upon the behaviour and actions of teachers as they