Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...

In the above extract John tried to establish how prices are detenn.ined. He introduced the
concepts 'cost price' and 'selling price' by using pupils' understandings ofthese terms.
He elected to discuss the mathematics aspects ofcalculating selling prices from cost
prices using percentages, during the Mathematics lesson. He was able to make distinct
links between Mathematics and EMS. John had 'forced' his pupils to engage in a
discussion ofthe need to do market research before deciding on prices. The technique of
'forcing' pupils to speak to each other was a suggestion that came from a participant in a
one ofthe TEMS workshops in response to teachers' concerns about the level ofpupil
involvement in large classes. John, with fifty-four pupils in his class, made effective use
ofthis technique. In the discussion that ensued, the class was able to establish that there
was a need to carry out some fonn ofmarket research. John, however, chose not to
introduce the term 'market research' at that point. In our post lesson discussions, he
argued that it was not the focus ofthe lesson, and that introducing too many new
concepts too quickly may not have been sound practice. He said that it was a concept that
he would pick up on at a later stage.
In the extract that follows, John began to focus the lesson on establishing how the
behaviour ofa single person determined how prices were set.
John: Let's take one person; let's take Soma as an example. Soma's friends will
know that she likes to eat chips (potato chips in packet). Sometimes she
doesn't bring lunch (meaning sandwiches) to school but she eats chips. About
how much do you get a week for chips Soma?
Pupil (Soma): (Rather uncomfortable to be the centre of attraction) - About RIO sir, but I
don't only spend all on chips sir; I also buy other things. (Glares at a boy that
giggles at her).
Pupil: Sir, Soma needs to put on weight.
(Class laughs).
John smiles, gently cautions the boy and goes to the board and develops a
table of pOSSible quantities of chips that Soma would have bought at
different prices.
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