Teacher Collaboration and Its Role in Effective School Management: A Query into Professional Learning Communities

I employed a purposive sampling design, as participants were selected based on the study's specific criteria or purpose. I include teachers from New Maligaya Elementary School in Davao Del Norte. I also selected eight (8) informants to participate in the in-depth interviews. The selection was made based on the purpose of this study, which required individuals with more than a certain number of years of experience and exposure to various school collaborations in school management practices. The study's implications revealed that the first theme focuses on the lived experiences of teachers' collaborative experiences in effective school management, categorized into two groups: challenges to teachers’ collaboration, which include themes such as lack of support, time management, and uneven participation. On the other hand, the advantages of cooperation between teachers include a focus on student outcomes and a stronger school culture. The second research question was identified during discussions focused on coping with the key challenges. Teachers’ coping with their challenges emphasizes shared goals and values, different styles and approaches, and shared responsibility. The third question explored a theme as insight that can be gained from studying teachers’ collaboration experiences effectively, which primarily highlights three themes observed: focus on professional growth, shared responsibility, trust, and respect.