Teacher Collaboration, Efficacy & the Opportunity Gap in Urban Schools

Teacher collaboration is essential to strengthen teaching and learning among teachers. There is a plethora of data that states the importance of collaboration in schools. In education today, nearly every school deems it is creating a community of learners utilizing a professional learning community (PLC) structure. This descriptive case study examines the professional development tool of professional learning community (PLC) as a means of teacher collaboration. This descriptive case study examines teacher collaboration among elementary teachers as they strengthen their teaching practices of mathematics in an elementary school in Northern California. This descriptive case study highlights the distinction of teacher collaboration being collaborative and a means for teacher growth and learning and not just another professional development meeting in which teachers are sharing with no real change in teaching and learning amongst themselves. The findings of this case study illustrates the significance of authentic collaboration built on a reciprocal relationship among teachers who make time for collaboration, value each other’s and students' expertise, and hold each other accountable.