Exploring the fact ors that enable or obstruct collaboration among female mathematics teachers in a South African primary school

Abstract

This article explored the factors that facilitated or hindered collaboration within the learning team in the Mathematics department of a primary school. It formed part of a broader study conducted in the particular school in Gauteng. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview with a focus group of Mathematics teachers, written reflective accounts by the principal and female staff members, and semi-structured interviews with the principal. In total, 12 teachers participated in the focus group while 10 female teachers completed the voluntary open-ended questionnaire. The findings suggest that the factors that facilitate or hinder teacher collaboration centre around a shared vision for good practice, strong professional relationships and opportunities for teachers to share their practices. This study is considered to be meaningful since it has the potential to contribute to the body of knowledge on learning communities, and also to benefit both the learning team and other teams in the school.

Keywords: teacher collaboration; learning teams; professional development of Mathematics teachers; South African primary school