In this paper, we discuss our approach to teacher-researcher collaboration and how it is similar and different from other models of teacher collaboration. Our approach to collaboration employed design experimentation (Brown, 1992; Design Based Research Collective, 2003) as a central method since it yields important findings for teachers' pedagogical practices and contributes to the research literature on teaching and learning. We use three key moments in our collaborative practice to highlight how our work impacted student thinking and learning and involved our own shifting identities as teachers and researchers. Key themes that were central to our joint work are discussed to demonstrate how we brought research and practice into regular dialogue. We argue that although this model is not necessarily supported by current institutional organization, it holds promise for ongoing professional development for teachers and researchers that can support building a culture of research-based practices in schools.