A study by the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) has revealed the transformative potential of educational teams on Portuguese teachers' learning and pedagogical practices. The research, carried out by Generosa Pinheiro under the supervision of José Matias Alves as part of a doctoral thesis in Education Science, analysed how organising Portuguese teaching in educational teams can promote teachers' professional development and, consequently, students' learning.

The article, published in the Revista Portuguesa de Educação, shows that organising teaching in educational teams - made up of teachers from different curricular subjects who manage the learning of students in a given year or cycle - can create an environment of collaboration and exchange of experiences between teachers, promoting joint reflection on pedagogical practices and the search for innovative solutions to classroom challenges.

This structure replaces the traditional vision of the “independent class” with collective and flexible management, where teachers take on a more comprehensive role in managing learning. As José Matias Alves explains: “Teachers no longer have 'their' class, they become managers of a large group of students and can reorganise them to personalise and improve learning.”

Educational teams: the key to better quality and more personalised teaching

Organising teaching in educational teams has several advantages for the professional development of Portuguese teachers. The research data showed that "the organisational innovation of teaching teams allowed professional relationships to develop in a more positive and inclusive way, as it united teachers from different subjects around a common goal: improving the learning of all students in a given school year".

What's more, “it also promoted a more open and participatory reflection on this large group of students, generating a search for solutions to the problems diagnosed, which ultimately allowed the establishment of more shared and consistent professional interactions,” says Matias Alves.

The study showed that different school practices are possible, that teachers can be happier when they work together, and that more autonomous and flexible management of the curriculum leads to better educational results.

However, it also highlighted the need for greater investment in training and capacity-building for teachers to work collaboratively and effectively. It is also essential that school leaders create an environment that is conducive to collaboration and provide the necessary support and resources to enable teams to reach their full potential.

“Teachers are not condemned to suffer alone...”

The Professor at the Faculty of Education and Psychology insists: "Teachers are not condemned to suffer alone, locked in a classroom. They can be authors and co-authors of their profession. And their students can also benefit from this more interactive professionalism".

“Implications of educational teams on teacher learning and classroom practices” is one of the five articles that make up Generosa Pinheiro's doctoral thesis.