Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...
Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ... Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...
This section provides an analysis ofteachers' changing practices in relation to EMS teaching by focussing the discussion on the learning oftwo teachers, Ben and Debbie. These two teachers presented the greatest differences on the learning continuum (specifically with regard to their practice), with Ben having made the smallest shift and Debbie having made the greatest movement. Their personal histories, teaching contexts and career trajectories appeared to be important factors that shaped the way in which they responded to the TEMS programme and it was for these reasons that they were selected for analysis. In attempting to explain teachers' changing practice, I present evidence ofshifts with regard to teachers' 'content knowledge', 'pedagogical content knowledge', 'questioning and rapport', the level of 'pupil involvement' and 'teaching resources' employed by teachers. To guide the analysis, I examine these categorisations in terms oftheir being 'good/substantially present', 'developing/adequate', 'partial/scant/inadequate' or 'weak/poor/non-existent' (see Table 6.5 below). In the narrative vignettes ofboth teachers, it becomes evident that teacher biographies, career trajectories and other contextual factors interact to affect the nature ofteacher learning, in particular, their ability to make meaning ofthe new EMS curriculum and their dispositions towards their EMS classroom practice. A composite picture ofteachers' learning for all TEMS research participants is presented in Table 6.4. 213
The essential differences between Debbie and Ben are captured in the following table. Table 6.4: Essential difference between Debbie and Ben Ben Debbie Lacked self-esteem Selfconfident Felt the need to please bureaucratic Selfmotivated - needed to satisfy her own superiors (especially the principal) professional standards Insecure tenure - Job insecurity Secure in her work position Under qualified Post graduate - intended further study Unstable teaching career - exited Stable teaching career - no plans to exit the previously, returned to temporary profession employment Financially unstable - without salary for 3- Financially stable 4 months at a time Authoritarian teaching approach - focus on Friendly, warm, caring (open, flexible) rules, rituals and behaviour (rigid) relationship with learners Written records regarded as unimportant, Meticulous records, attention to detail, secondary, Minimal planning Comprehensive planning Not accountable to anyone in terms of Regularly accountable to school records ofcurriculum, plans and management (all aspects ofcurriculum assessment planning and assessment) In the following narrative vignettes ofDebbie and Ben, I analyse both teachers' changing ways oftalking about and making meaning ofthe new EMS curriculum and their changing classroom practice. Extracts from initial and final interviews, lesson observation reports and my journal are used to develop each vignette. 6.3.2 A narrative vignette of Debbie Debbie was an Indian teacher in her late thirties. She had completed her formal teaching degree at a local university and had proceeded to complete an honours degree in education. She was seriously contemplating enrolling for a Masters degree at the local University. Having been teaching at her school for 15 years, she felt that she had a good relationship with her colleagues and with members ofmanagement, and generally looked forward to going to school. She felt that the type ofpupils that one taught also determined 214
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The essential differences between Debbie and Ben are captured <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g table.<br />
Table 6.4: Essential difference between Debbie and Ben<br />
Ben Debbie<br />
Lacked self-esteem Selfconfident<br />
Felt the need to please bureaucratic Selfmotivated - needed to satisfy her own<br />
superiors (especially the pr<strong>in</strong>cipal) pr<strong>of</strong>essional standards<br />
Insecure tenure - Job <strong>in</strong>security Secure <strong>in</strong> her work position<br />
Under qualified Post graduate - <strong>in</strong>tended further study<br />
Unstable teach<strong>in</strong>g career - exited Stable teach<strong>in</strong>g career - no plans to exit the<br />
previously, returned to temporary pr<strong>of</strong>ession<br />
employment<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ancially unstable - without salary for 3- F<strong>in</strong>ancially stable<br />
4 months at a time<br />
Authoritarian teach<strong>in</strong>g approach - focus on Friendly, warm, car<strong>in</strong>g (open, flexible)<br />
rules, rituals and behaviour (rigid) relationship with learners<br />
Written records regarded as unimportant, Meticulous records, attention to detail,<br />
secondary, M<strong>in</strong>imal plann<strong>in</strong>g Comprehensive plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Not accountable to anyone <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> Regularly accountable to school<br />
records <strong>of</strong>curriculum, plans and management (all aspects <strong>of</strong>curriculum<br />
assessment plann<strong>in</strong>g and assessment)<br />
In the follow<strong>in</strong>g narrative vignettes <strong>of</strong>Debbie and Ben, I analyse both teachers' chang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
ways <strong>of</strong>talk<strong>in</strong>g about and mak<strong>in</strong>g mean<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>the new EMS curriculum and their<br />
chang<strong>in</strong>g classroom practice. Extracts from <strong>in</strong>itial and f<strong>in</strong>al <strong>in</strong>terviews, lesson<br />
observation reports and my journal are used to develop each vignette.<br />
6.3.2 A narrative vignette <strong>of</strong> Debbie<br />
Debbie was an Indian teacher <strong>in</strong> her late thirties. She had completed her formal teach<strong>in</strong>g<br />
degree at a local university and had proceeded to complete an honours degree <strong>in</strong><br />
education. She was seriously contemplat<strong>in</strong>g enroll<strong>in</strong>g for a Masters degree at the local<br />
University. Hav<strong>in</strong>g been teach<strong>in</strong>g at her school for 15 years, she felt that she had a good<br />
relationship with her colleagues and with members <strong>of</strong>management, and generally looked<br />
forward to go<strong>in</strong>g to school. She felt that the type <strong>of</strong>pupils that one taught also determ<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
214
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