The pervasive binary that has divided ‘research-incapable’ school teachers from university academics has often led school teachers to believe that research is the prerogative task of so-called ‘experts’ in education – university academics, while their job is merely to translate and implement the results of research. Even if school teachers were to carry out research, the common perception is that it is of questionable validity. Teachers themselves on the other hand often complain of having little time or energy left for research because of heavy workload as well as a lack of extrinsic rewards for research-based activities. Why should teachers do research when they are already overwhelmed with the daily tasks of teaching and teaching-related commitments? This paper, based on a critical analysis of literature on teacher research, as well as a consideration of a number of recent action research projects in Bangladesh, looks at why it is important for teachers and academics to form collaborative partnerships by integrating research into their everyday practices and how this has benefits for both. The two objectives of this paper are each aimed at its two main readers – to familiarise or re-familiarise school teachers with research, in terms of why this is needed and how they can be involved in it within the daily challenges of teaching, and to encourage university teachers, for their own benefit, to build collaborative partnerships with school teachers to build truly meaningful and useful education research. This is possible when everyone can see opportunities for all to benefit from being part of a community of practice and to invest in the trustful symbiotic and complementary roles between school and university teachers.