AS the world marks World Teachers’ Day 2025, educators and policymakers are turning their attention to the power of collaboration in shaping the future of learning.

This year’s theme, “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,” underscores the need for teamwork, mentorship, and shared responsibility among teachers, school leaders, and the wider education community. The focus reflects a growing recognition that collective effort, rather than isolated practice, is key to improving education quality and sustaining teacher growth.

Educators highlight that collaboration remains a key part of effective teaching, noting that no teacher is an island of knowledge while stating that collaboration could be a process of joint lesson planning, idea sharing, and collective problem-solving aimed at enhancing the learning experience.

When collaboration strengthens understanding

For Abisola Alare-Saheed, an English tutor in a secondary school, she states that teachers sometimes face challenges in delivering certain topics, and in such situations, collaborating with colleagues who have greater expertise in that area proves highly beneficial.

She recounted being assigned to teach Business Studies to junior students and encountering difficulty with the topic ‘Trial Balance’ and after seeking guidance from a colleague who specialised in Business Education, the concept became clearer, enabling her to successfully teach the topic to her learners.

“As an English Educator there was a time I was saddled with the responsibility of teaching Business Studies in the junior secondary 3, I took it perfectly until when I had the challenge of taking the topic ‘Trial Balance’.

I couldn’t understand it well enough until I met with a colleague in another school whose discipline is Business Education, she explained to me well after which I delivered several lessons to my learners,”  Alare-Saheed told The ICIR

Teaching a subject outside one’s field of expertise can hinder effective delivery, leading to challenges like lack of deep knowledge, student disengagement, and reduced academic outcomes for students but such situations often highlight the value of collaboration.

By seeking support from colleagues with deeper knowledge, teachers not only overcome content gaps but also improve lesson quality and professional competence.

Farida Saidu, a chemistry teacher noted that although she had not co-taught in the same classroom, collaborating with more experienced teachers helped her improve their approach to teaching lower primary pupils.

“I was a teacher who had less experience in teaching lower primary schools.  fellow teachers shared their ideas and practices and it made teaching-learning effective,” she stated.

She added that sharing ideas and observing others’ methods made lessons more effective, and during their teaching practice, they also gained valuable experience through team teaching.

For Saidu, collaboration involves teachers working together. Although not widely practiced in many classrooms, it helps simplify teaching and encourages greater student participation.

Barriers to teachers collaboration 

Despite its benefits, several factors continue to hinder teacher collaboration. These include lack of time, professional isolation, poor communication skills, resistance to change, and differing professional ideologies.

The factors mentioned above were identified by respondents as major barriers to effective collaboration among teachers. They noted that some educators are reluctant to move away from traditional teaching methods or lack the necessary training and awareness to adopt collaborative practices. Heavy workloads and limited time also make it difficult for teachers to plan and work together, underscoring the need for schools to create specific periods for joint planning or co-teaching.

“Teachers may be unwilling to move away from traditional teaching methods, show a lack of cooperation, or lack training and awareness on collaborative teaching,” Saidu stated.

Additionally, weak leadership support was highlighted as a challenge, as some school heads do not actively promote teamwork or shared instructional practices among their staff.

“Another reason might be poor leadership support, some school heads may not support team teaching or collaboration. School leaders should be trained to model and encourage team-based approaches and shared decision-making,” Alare-Saheed noted.

Breaking the barriers 

While these barriers pose real challenges, they are not insurmountable. Educators explained that with proper guidance, administrative support, and a shift in mindset, teachers can embrace collaboration as an essential part of their professional growth.

“To overcome these barriers, more training should be provided on collaborative teaching while encouraging an interactive environment among teachers. Professional training for teachers on collaborative practices, government policies that promote collaboration in education, and improved access to digital tools would greatly enhance teaching and learning outcomes,” Saidu stated

Also, creating a supportive culture where educators feel valued and empowered to share ideas is seen as a vital step toward overcoming these obstacles.

“As a teacher, I would like to see more time set aside for teachers to plan lessons together and share ideas. I also hope schools can provide regular training that encourages teamwork and create a supportive environment where teachers feel free to learn from one another. Having strong leadership that values collaboration would also make a big difference.” Alare-Saheed concluded