A Mirroring Process: From School Management Team Cooperation to Teacher Collaboration

In this study, we examine how cooperation and constructive controversy evidenced within school management teams (SMT) relate to collaboration among teachers. Dyad survey data was collected from SMT members and teachers at 32 primary schools in Hong Kong. Results of multilevel regression analysis indicated that cooperation among SMT members was positively related to teacher collaboration. Moreover, constructive controversy within SMTs mediated the path and contributed additional variance explained in school-wide teacher collaboration. These findings affirm that the leadership dynamics of SMTs in Hong Kong primary schools do appear to have a positive influence on potentially important school-level conditions.