Introduction. As a social and educational institution, the school undergoes constant changes and is therefore the subject of study in various sciences and disciplines. In accordance with social changes, we become aware of developmental trends in specific divisions of labor and scientific-technological progress, which leads to numerous changes in business activities, tasks, and roles of certain professions. Significant changes in this regard are experienced by the educational system, as well as the employees in this sector, which is why today’s teachers and pedagogues are rightly considered the agents of change in education. Their task is to prepare students for the challenges of modern society. One of the challenges of a quality school, which is associated with student achievement, as Glasser (Glasser, 1990: 171) notes, is that “youth who receive quality education do not participate in destructive activities and are beneficial to society”. Through the collaboration of pedagogues and teachers, it is possible to foresee, design, encourage, and direct the development of educational processes in accordance with the needs and developmental potentials of each student (Staničić, 2003: 183-184). Quality collaboration involves the existence of well-developed competencies in teachers and pedagogues, which include “foreseeing, designing, encouraging, and directing the development of the educational process in accordance with the needs and developmental potentials of students” (Fajdetić, Šnidaric, 2014: 239).

Every occupation in modern social circumstances requires lifelong learning, professional development, reflection on contemporary principles and methods of work and their application, self-criticism, and self-evaluation. With this mindset, teachers and pedagogues prepare for the new challenges that are constantly present. Their professional development, as well as the “professional development of teachers, has always been, is, and will be aimed at creating more favorable conditions for school work and student development”, according to Laketa and Vasilijević (Laketa, Vasilijević, 2012: 181). Professionalization should, therefore, improve both the reputation of the profession in society and the profession itself. It does not mean “that the current pedagogical activity will be performed better, with more facts, more consistently, or in other words, more professionally than before, but it means that something entirely different will be done” (Liessmann, 2019: 47). Essentially, everything that teachers and pedagogues do with students in school on a daily basis should have the ultimate goal of providing quality education for the students. There is no human activity for which the question of quality is not important. The concept of quality education is defined differently by various authors, e.g., Avelini (Funda, 2008: 11) emphasizes that the quality of teaching is achieved if “the level of meeting the needs and demands of consumers is reached, i.e., alignment with their increasing demands and expectations”. In improving the quality of learning, the acquisition of competencies by education employees plays an irreplaceable role.

Research goal. Analysis of the effects of cooperation between teachers and pedagogues in order to improve the quality of learning. The competencies of participants in the educational process are analyzed, which are a necessary prerequisite for collaborative relationships and successful communication between participants in the teaching process.

Methodology and methods. In the analysis of the effects of cooperation and students' competencies in educational activities, the methods of theoretical analysis, descriptive method and problem method were used.

Research Results and Discussion. In the research results, we will present possibilities for improving teamwork between teachers and educators, as well as raising the level of quality of communication and the effects of teaching work.

Terminological Clarification of Key Concepts

Teacher (Учитељ) (Teacher; Instetuteur/Enseignant; Lehrer; Учитель) (Pedagogical Thesaurus, 1997: 121) is a concept that has evolved in accordance with changes in the concepts of education and upbringing, i.e., in line with the understanding of the tasks and roles of educators throughout different eras. However, the teacher has always been regarded as a person with vast knowledge, wisdom, and valuable information. However, the teacher is not merely a 'lecturer and transmitter of knowledge, but a strategist and leader of the overall educational process carried out with the students' (Jovanović, Stanojević, 2009: 82). This refers to the teacher as a catalyst for developmental changes in the social environment, a source of motivation and innovation, and a model of socially desirable behavior. It is “the title of a person who conducts practical and theoretical training of students in a school workshop, within a work organization, on a worksite, etc., according to an appropriate curriculum for a specific occupation” (Pedagogical Encyclopedia 2, 1989: 464). A teacher is “a person who, from a scientific perspective, represents an expert in various fields for students, whose task is to lay the foundation and establish a stimulating environment for further knowledge development” (Ilić, 2015: 25). According to Bogosavljević (Bogosavljević, 2013: 11-16), a teacher is someone who strives to make teaching and the school environment successful, i.e., to develop the necessary norms of work for students, which includes: ensuring that students understand why learning is important and what they need to achieve certain accomplishments (knowledge, skills, abilities); that the teacher develops methods and tools to effectively monitor and evaluate student achievements and communicates these to the students; and that the teacher teaches students tolerance and understanding, helping them better comprehend differences in achievements and the paths required to achieve the best results. A modern teacher is expected to have professional education and engage in lifelong learning to possess the leadership abilities that they will impart to the students they work with. For this, as Randelović (Ranđelović, 2010: 323-324; Meijer, 2002) emphasizes, “theoretical knowledge, professional knowledge, and didactic-methodical competence” are essential. In addition to the knowledge a teacher should possess, they must also have positive human qualities such as honesty, integrity, responsibility, empathy, patience, tolerance, calmness, fairness, and so on. A teacher with such qualities will be able to recognize and develop the same qualities in students to their fullest potential.

Pedagogue (Педагог) (Educationalist/Pedagog/Teacher: Pedagogue/Pedagoge/Erziehungswissenschaffler, Pedagog) (Pedagogical Thesaurus, 1997: 91) is defined by Staničić (Staničić, 2006: 520) as “a specific profile of educational professionals whose primary task is to, in collaboration with other experts (educators, teachers, parents, and other school staff), encourage personal development and contribute to the improvement of the work and outcomes of educational institutions”. According to the Pedagogical Encyclopedia 2 (Pedagogical Encyclopedia, 1989: 174), the term pedagogue has various meanings: anyone involved in education; only those who are professionally engaged in education; only those who teach pedagogy as a subject; all those who have completed studies in pedagogy; and only those who study education. Professional identity is “a set of attributes that make a pedagogue unique (a distinct expert) compared to members of other professions, especially those with whom they share the mission (and program) of the school” (Staničić, 2017: 71). A pedagogue, as a professional associate in a school, is tasked with continuously monitoring, observing, planning, programming work, tracking the activities of students and teachers, and encouraging them to make maximum efforts and introduce innovations into the educational process. Thus, they are the individual who professionally leads the educational policy of the school in which they are employed, promotes positive models and principles of teaching work, highlights positive examples of the work of all actors in the educational process, and monitors new developments and changes in school laws. Additionally, the pedagogue tracks students' achievements, motivates them for further progress, and conducts counseling work with parents to better understand their children’s needs and encouragement. To be successful in all of this, a pedagogue must be competent. Peko and colleagues (Peko et al., 2014: 32) consider a competent person to be someone who “has the knowledge, abilities, and skills to perform the required tasks in a specific field effectively”. Acquiring competencies is necessarily linked to lifelong learning, as this approach prepares the pedagogue for the new challenges they constantly face.

A school is a social institution, evolving alongside society, as it "has always been, is, and will be an integral part of the community, so it is unrealistic to expect it to be different from it" (Laketa, 2010: 111). Its primary role is educational and pedagogical, achieved through the actions of those involved in educational work, who strive to carry out activities necessary for the proper development of students' personalities in the best possible way. Every individual, regardless of their future profession, must acquire certain knowledge, skills, and abilities. These are gained in elementary school, which today strives for democratization and the application of knowledge from natural and social sciences, as well as information technologies. A school can be viewed as “the institutional context for the development of individuals, participants in school work and life, primarily students and teachers” (Hebib, 2007: 399). A successful school is the result of good and quality collaboration between teachers and pedagogues.

The collaboration between teachers and pedagogues as a necessity for the successful functioning of a school.

Modern society, often referred to as a knowledge society, is subject to constant global, social, and technological changes. Keeping pace with these changes is no easy task, yet it is a necessity in almost every area of human life and work, especially in education. The school is no longer just a place where knowledge is acquired and transmitted, but a place where constructive solutions are found, and innovations in modern technologies, necessary for a quality life in a given society, are actively monitored and adopted. Collaborative relationships in school are based on good interpersonal relations, which create a positive pedagogical climate and a stimulating environment focused on student progress, as some studies conclude. Viewed through the lens of the entire system, the collaboration between teachers and pedagogues is the foundation for advancement, the acquisition of knowledge, the development of skills and abilities, as well as competencies. Some of the advantages of good collaboration between teachers and pedagogues, as noted by Radosavljević and colleagues (Radosavljević et. al., 2016: 17-19), include the following: systematic observation and creation of the best models for providing support to both teachers and students; informing students about potential resources for support within and outside the school; providing necessary information and transferring knowledge and skills that motivate positive behavior or improve negative behavior; initiating corrective measures and supporting students, as well as teachers, in shaping educational measures; assisting in resolving school, family, and personal problems; organizing various school and extracurricular activities; fostering a sense of belonging to a class, team, or school; adequately monitoring the achievement of educational outcomes in the class; initiating various actions, projects, and activities within the school; involving the class in different school activities and informing them about the work of the school and school teams; preparing excursions, trips, informal gatherings, etc.; monitoring the development of social relationships within the class and working on resolving identified difficulties; informing, motivating, and involving parents in the life and work of the school; assessing the needs and expectations of students, teachers, and parents regarding the school; providing professional consultations with teachers regarding student learning and behavior in the classroom; reporting and corresponding with parents, professional services, and school bodies that oversee the work of students, teachers, and the school system.

The collaboration between teachers and pedagogues provides mutual benefits. The teacher has a reliable partner in analyzing the success of their work and innovating the teaching process, while respecting the teacher's ideas and personal experiences, as noted by Jurić (Jurić, 2004). The activities carried out by the teacher are aimed at creating favorable conditions for the realization of teaching and ensuring a stimulating environment for developing children's abilities and potentials. The teacher should get to know the students well so that their interests and activities are appropriately directed. The nature of the teaching profession “implicitly demands the need for continuous encouragement through creating favorable conditions and circumstances for all students” (Đorđević, 2003: 698). The tasks of the pedagogue, in addition to monitoring children's and teachers' achievements, involve implementing legal regulations in the school environment and encouraging students and teachers to engage in additional activities that make children's development more qualitative, comprehensive, and enriching. Pedagogues must continuously monitor developments in the educational system to easily implement innovations and follow contemporary achievements in all areas of human life and work. Essentially, this means that the school pedagogue is one of the main drivers of change and its operationalization in practice. Accordingly, pedagogues' activities must be intrinsically motivated, with a desire to achieve success. In a modern school, the pedagogue aims to prepare students for life and work in a pluralistic society, as well as active participation in a knowledge-based society that brings numerous privileges but also responsibilities. Therefore, it is necessary to develop freedom, creativity, and inventiveness in students through multidirectional communication with all participants in the educational process. As a driver of change, the pedagogue, like the teacher, must possess both professional and emotional competencies, aimed at a common goal – the holistic and harmonious development of the student's personality. Professional competencies include: K1: Competencies for the specific professional field; K2: Competencies for teaching and learning; K3: Competencies for supporting the development of the child's and student’s personality; K4: Competencies for communication and collaboration. Emotional competencies are built in relation to the environment and personality development. Regarding their acquisition, it is important for the pedagogue to learn to understand their own emotions, have empathy, manage their emotions, and share them with others. Different authors categorize the competencies that teachers and pedagogues must acquire in various ways.

For example, Pušina (Pušina, 2020: 33-34) categorizes competencies into: Personal Competencies: These relate to how teachers and pedagogues perceive their roles, their approach to them, and their way of handling school responsibilities. This essentially involves how they experience, behave, and react to these responsibilities, as well as demonstrating traits such as diligence, determination, self-confidence, intelligence, initiative, responsibility, honesty, trust, communicativeness, and creativity. Developmental Competencies: These include knowledge related to creating a vision for development, introducing innovations, using technology for development, and applying reliable work models that ensure high-efficiency organization at the school or class level. This also involves implementing legal and regulatory norms and fulfilling all administrative duties. Professional Competencies: These encompass applying learned knowledge, specifically knowledge from the field, related to teaching and improving work processes. This includes didactic-methodical activities, legal, analytical, evaluative, innovative, psychological, and scientific-professional tasks. Social Competencies: These relate to competencies for shaping interpersonal relationships, including a range of activities from understanding the specific attitudes of all students and teachers, defining approaches for their optimal positioning within the system and the classroom, to conflict resolution. This category also includes competencies related to motivating both teachers and students, enhancing their individual characteristics, and selecting the best methods for guiding their development. Action Competencies: These involve the practical actions (activities) of pedagogues and teachers within and outside the school institution, related to teaching goals and outcomes, developing skills for active and constructive problem-solving, encouraging innovation, and leading towards a recognizable vision of the school institution and the system as a whole. According to Stančić (Stančić, 2001), there is a model consisting of five key competencies: personal, developmental, professional, social, and action-based. The combination of these competencies leads to successful educational work and is a prerequisite for teamwork, achieving program goals, providing guidance, and effective communication. Simeunović and Jovičić (Simeunović, Jovičić, 2023: 32) highlight Jorgić's (Jorgić's, 2015) classification, who wrote about pedagogical, psychological, didactic, and methodological competencies, noting that all these competencies are interconnected and dependent on each other. They also refer to Jurčić (Jurčić, 2014), who emphasizes the following competencies: personal competence (empathy, fairness, consistency, etc.); communication competence (skills for establishing dialogue); analytical competence (understanding and motivation, control and comprehension); social competence (collaboration and teamwork abilities, conflict and problem-solving skills); emotional competence (one's own and others' emotions); intercultural competence (knowledge and respect for cultures, traditions, and customs); developmental competence (acquiring new knowledge) and problem-solving skills. According to this author, didactic competence consists of five dimensions: selecting and applying the methodology for developing the subject curriculum; organizing and leading the educational process; assessing student achievement in school; shaping the classroom climate; and developing a model of educational partnership with parents. Simeunović and Jovičić (Simeunović, Jovičić, 2023: 37) classify teachers' pedagogical competencies into four categories: Professional skills: management, planning, organizing lessons, public relations, consulting, administration; Methodological competencies: moderating, presenting, advising, evaluating, organizing, mastering computer software, etc.; Personal characteristics: motivation, readiness to perform, initiative, willingness to take responsibility, adaptability to changes, etc.; Social competencies: communication skills; collaboration/teamwork skills; conflict resolution skills; receptiveness to criticism; empathy, etc.

Based on the above, it can be stated that they face difficult and responsible tasks. Since the job of a pedagogue is complex, as they work with students who are still developing their attitudes and values, they are required to frequently change their approach, adapt to situations and personalities, and stay updated with advancements in pedagogical science. According to Čolaković (Čolaković, 2017: 17), their main activities include: Participating in creating programmatic, pedagogical-organizational, and didactic-methodical conditions for achieving educational goals; Enhancing, modernizing, and rationalizing educational work; Participating in monitoring and evaluating the results of educational work; Encouraging and monitoring the development of students (intellectual, social, emotional, moral, aesthetic, physical, and professional); Organizing psychological and pedagogical training for teachers; Collaborating with stakeholders involved in the general and professional development of students (parents, representatives of the social environment, preschool institutions, schools, faculties, institutes, health, social, and cultural institutions, and professional services of the National Employment Service, etc.). The tendency to understand the roles of pedagogues implies that they are required to 'change some roles, abandon others, and adopt new ones' (Gojkov, 2007: 12), which aligns with contemporary views of their roles.

Effective collaboration is “a part of the success of a work organization. This applies to schools as well. Insufficient collaboration always reduces the chances for quality school work and for the professional development of teachers” (Avramović, Vujičić, 2010: 105). The primary reason for emphasizing the importance of collaboration between pedagogues and teachers is the understanding that without their leadership qualities, there is neither success nor quality, and that “quality collaboration and effective leadership are indicators of an efficient and effective school” (Kovačević et al., 2012: 53). The same authors (Kovačević et al., 2012: 45-55) outline the advantages of good collaboration between teachers and pedagogues, which include the following: collaboration develops a sense of belonging, as continuous interaction allows both parties to gain and exchange experiences, new knowledge, and skills needed for the teaching process and working in the school environment; pedagogues familiarize teachers with important legal changes related to their professional teaching role. In this way, the pedagogue helps shape the school duties of each teacher, assisting them in working in accordance with prescribed legal protocols and procedures, maintaining a high level of motivation, conscientiousness, and professionalism. Pedagogues treat teachers as allies in creating a positive work climate with the goal of eliminating friction, conflicts, or intergroup divisions. They collaborate with teachers to develop a plan that enhances the school's reputation by improving the quality of teaching, which is the greatest benefit for students. Pedagogues and teachers can consult each other on planning and implementing lessons, standardizing assessment criteria, honoring agreements, adhering to behavior rules and classroom management, and evaluating student achievement quality. Pedagogues, together with teachers, work on creating a group identity within the staff that leads to achieving common school goals, outcomes, or plans.

The pedagogue, by monitoring teachers' work, develops training programs aimed not only at increasing competencies but also at enhancing the reputation of the teaching profession and positively changing the role of teachers in society and the school. Pedagogues encourage collaboration among all teachers through formal groups in schools, such as committees, councils, and teams, as prescribed by law, as well as individually. They assist teachers in meeting all legal requirements, completing forms, keeping records, updating documentation, holding parent or class meetings, and forming teams within professional councils. Pedagogues connect teachers (with varying levels of experience) to create internal professional development opportunities. With enthusiasm, the pedagogue aims to address certain professional shortcomings in teachers, such as disinterest, resistance to change, doubt, misunderstanding, the strength of “old” habits, perceived school duties, avoidance of responsibility, fear of novelty, and negative character traits. Collaboration between pedagogues and teachers should focus on strengthening teachers' competencies to be fair, honest, capable, good psychologists, effective organizers, good communicators, knowledgeable about laws and regulations, clear in their ideas, able to transfer knowledge, and excellent in communicating with parents. Pedagogues must also consider the approach to implementing changes and innovations in the system. For a reform to contribute to a collaborative atmosphere, it is crucial for the pedagogue to inform teachers in advance, emphasize its importance for the team, explain how the change will benefit teachers, support them in their work, and ease their tasks. Pedagogues provide assistance to teachers in their professional development, improvement, and advancement in their roles, giving them the opportunity to work conscientiously and responsibly and demonstrate competence.

Pedagogues are key figures in assisting teachers who encounter certain communication problems with parents. Since the success of education and upbringing depends on effective communication between teachers and students, teachers and parents, and teachers, parents, and the school, it is important to emphasize that the role of the pedagogue is crucial in this domain as well. The pedagogue must inform parents about the benefits of collaborating with the school's professional services. Some of the activities related to working with parents include “conducting interviews (conversations) with parents, giving lectures to parents (introducing them to the characteristics of children at different ages), home visits, etc.” (Vilotijević et al., 2001: 203). Through good collaboration between pedagogues and teachers, each individual is given the opportunity to present their capabilities and complete tasks in the best possible way, participate in various school activities, and align with the desired engagement of teachers to ensure the quality of the institution’s work. This provides everyone, especially school staff, with the opportunity for advancement and achieving new results that contribute to more comprehensive professional development. Collaboration between teachers and pedagogues will be successful only if both parties cooperate and accept their rights and obligations. Students, parents, and other school staff must understand that no one can be forced into cooperation; it must be the result of genuine willingness.

The forms of collaboration between pedagogues and teachers are diverse in both structure and implementation. They can be direct or indirect, mediated or immediate. The influence of the pedagogue must be evident in all aspects of school work and the achievement of the school’s functions.

Conclusion. The modern school, based on knowledge from various areas of human life and work, greatly depends on good relationships and interpersonal dynamics within it. The activities of teachers and pedagogues shape the overall atmosphere in the school environment and direct the course of school development, affecting all participants in the educational process. Collaboration between teachers and pedagogues should be very close, sincere, and focused on the educational and developmental needs of students, as well as on shaping their professional paths. The tasks facing teachers and pedagogues in the modern knowledge society are complex and responsible, aimed at improving the quality of the teaching process. The foundation of good collaboration lies in the professionalization of teachers, including the development of communication skills, tolerance, understanding, a sense of team belonging, and effective management. Developing communication skills leads to successful teamwork and the enhancement of communication abilities. Thus, collaboration becomes the basis for progress in work, knowledge acquisition, and skill development. The cornerstone of collaboration between pedagogues and teachers lies in mutual empowerment, with the goal of finding innovative and interesting models for implementing educational activities. The most important prerequisite for the school of the future should be lifelong professional development for teachers and pedagogues. The development of key competencies for teachers and pedagogues should be based on acquiring new knowledge, abilities, and skills, as well as improving previously acquired competencies. In this sense, continuous professional development and the advancement of competencies are an imperative for the work of teachers and pedagogues in the future.