Staff development procedures and a culture of collaboration in a primary school

Abstract

Given the legislative, administrative and curriculum changes imposed on primary schools during the last decade, those responsible for the professional development of teachers have faced considerable challenges. This article presents a case study of the staff development procedures introduced in one primary school, examining their relationship to collaboration and educational change. The literature on approaches to teacher development and cultures of teaching is reviewed. Data was gathered, using focused semi-structured interviews, from teaching staff, student teachers on placement at the school and support staff. The content analysis identified the following exclusive categories: Staff Relationships; Staff Development/Educational Change; Developments in School Organisation; Current Organisation; Conveying School Ethos to Newcomers and Encouraging Participation; Issues to be Addressed; and Suggested Improvements. The research suggests that the ecological change approach best described staff development procedures at the school. Leadership emanated from a variety of sources positively influencing the success of teacher development activities. The article concludes by suggesting that the school developed a collaborative culture as a consequence of the operation of the staff development procedures.