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

the group. Wenger (1998) notes that individuals act as resources to each other by
exchanging information, making sense of situations, sharing new tricks and new ideas.
In the next extract, we see another example of a frequent exchange that occurred between
teachers. Teachers would often pose problems or questions about issues that they
experienced difficulty with. In the early stages ofthe TEMS project, teachers would often
look to me to provide the 'answers' or possible solutions. My intention at the outset was
not to play the traditional role ofprovider of 'answers', but to rather have the group
develop their own solutions to the questions they raised. As the members of the TEMS
community began to feel more comfortable with each other, teachers began increasingly
to take on this responsibility.
Extract from workshop observation report (30 July 2003):
r can understand what Shirley is talking about. I have the same difficulty with my children.
When it comes to abstract concepts in EMS, the children, they have a problem with that.
You know, the richer children receive pocket money; they can understand what it means to
budget. But with most of my children, the concept doesn't exist. I made up my own simple
case studies, you know; and like I get them to determine whether people are making good
decisions about how to use their money. It's like beginning to make sense to the children.
When I do my presentation I'll show you how I used them.
Wenger (1998) notes that mutual engagement in a community ofpractice does not entail
a homogenous grouping; in fact, the mutual engagement in a practice is more productive
when there is diversity in the grouping. This community (TEMS) could well be described
as an 'ill-defined' group ofpeople brought together by varying reasons/motivations. They
comprised male, female, young and old, representing different ethnic, racial and cultural
backgrounds; and they were also teaching in vastly different contexts, with different
problems and aspirations. What made a community ofpractice ofthis medley ofpeople
was that they were teachers engaged in personal and professional development as they
made it happen within the TEMS project.
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