Conceptions of common time

Within private as well as public organization there is a strong (but sometimes over-optimistic) belief in the magic of groups and teams. Here all kinds of problems are supposed to be dealt with hoping for the benefits of the collective competence. However, at the end of the day this thought is likely to become contra productive. This is also a substantial financial issue since it is expensive to keep all teachers in meetings and committees. Particularly if these groups are dysfunctional and become an arena for passive resistance or talented pseudo issues. This project focuses how 19 upper secondary schools in Stockholm, Sweden use the time allocated in teacher–union agreements for common purposes. The theoretical frame of reference in this project is inspired by cultural approaches to organization. In our understanding this time is particularly interesting because it is mainly during this time ambitions about school development can be realized.