Holding the Reigns to Demonstrate the Key Features of a Teacher Learning Community in a South African School

Abstract

Recent models of professional development of teachers focus on schools as teacher learning communities. This study is an attempt to investigate the vision of a principal and the way in which his actions brought about a teacher learning community in his school. A qualitative research design was gauged as most appropriate to illustrate the experiences of a school principal in creating and developing a collaborative learning environment for teachers in a South African primary school. Data were analysed using the six key features of a teacher learning community: leadership; focus and purpose; collaboration; relationships; inquiry; and support and building capacity. Although this study provides a basis for developing a teacher learning community, it requires contextualisation to meet a school’s specific needs and challenges.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1331