A study of teachers’ views upon the role of other teachers in their work - work in progress

• Main Author: Kairen Cullen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University College London 2006-05-01
• Series: Educate~
• Online Access: http://www.educatejournal.org/index.php?journal=educate&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=56

Contextualisation
 This research note focuses on the assumptions made about the ways in which teachers work
 with their colleagues. It further focuses on issues of inter-professional collaboration between
 public service professionals involved in services targeted at supporting children and young
 people. This is significant at a time when the UK Government initiative, ‘Every Child Matters’,
 seeks to ensure just such a collaboration. The work-in-progress reported here argues,
 however, that such collaboration needs to be built upon an understanding of how intraprofessional
 practices, within individual professions, work.
 
 
 Abstract: Teachers work with a number of other professionals when supporting children
 in their care. They also necessarily have to work with other teachers. This research note
 reports the initial findings from two studies aimed at exploring the factors teachers
 perceive to be significant when working with their colleagues. Study (1) involved an
 opportunity interview sample of primary, secondary and special school teachers, working
 predominantly in management positions or teaching in classrooms. Thematic coding,
 informed by a grounded theory perspective, was used to analyse this data. Study (2)
 involved semi-structured audio-taped interviews with 13 deputy-head teachers drawn
 from primary, secondary and special school settings. Current work on the coding
 structures, and categories needed to analyse this data in the light of the previous data,
 are highlighted. As a result of the initial analysis, a need for a greater understanding of
 the significance of intra-professional practices is identified. It is suggested that these
 necessarily inform effective inter-professional collaboration.