The Importance of Collaboration

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the positive impacts of teacher collaboration and the direct correlation with teacher retention. Teacher retention ultimately occurs when teachers find a sense of community. Ensuring teachers feel supported and maintaining teacher retention should be the ultimate priorities of the administration. It is only through administrative support that opportunities for collaboration among teachers can be developed. Allocated time for collaboration is not a novel concept, but one that is often overlooked by schools. The administrators at the school should be actively working to foster a sense of community for teachers through an intentionally paired mentorship program, opportunities for teacher share-outs during meetings, a monthly collaboration meeting without the presence of an administrator, and opportunities to connect outside of work. It is the intent that this chapter guides administrators and other school personnel by providing a roadmap for improved teacher collaboration and therefore retention.