One of my favorite examples of collaborative teaching is a grade-level team analyzing student writing. This group of teachers shared writing samples, identified what students were doing well and where they struggled, and talked openly about what worked and what didn’t. Together, they adjusted their lessons, developed new instructional strategies, and created common rubrics.

Another example was two of my middle school teachers—a math teacher and a science teacher—co-planning a shared unit. One developed the instructional flow while the other created assessments and materials. After the lesson, they regrouped, evaluated student responses, and refined their plan. It wasn’t a simple process, but it strengthened instruction every time.

Teachers collaborating together aren’t just attending another meeting—they’re actively working to improve student engagement and student learning.

Effective collaboration with teachers depends on a few key elements. It starts with respect and trust; teachers need to feel comfortable working together. Teachers benefit from clear goals and regular meetings to stay focused. Open, honest communication helps teachers better understand each other’s ideas, and shared leadership ensures everyone has a voice.

When these pieces are in place, collaboration becomes smoother and more meaningful.

The 80/20 rule is simple: students—not teachers—should speak for roughly 80% of classroom instructional time. Teachers guide, prompt, and support learning, but students drive engagement. Teacher collaboration helps teams share strategies for increasing student talk and participation.

Teacher collaboration is the foundation of strong schools. When educators share expertise, align their efforts, and take collective responsibility for student learning, the entire system becomes stronger. As leaders, our role is to create the structures, time, and trust that allow teachers to collaborate and thrive—because when teachers succeed together, students succeed with them.