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

A further two other observers expressed similar sentiments, commenting on their
observations of a core group whose level ofengagement and familiarity allowed them to
communicate in knowing ways with one another. Two other observers reported as
follows:
Extract ofIndependent Observer Report: Hugh
I also was very alerted to the race dynamics that existed ... The Indian educators were in
clusters in the front of the class. Two African participants who came in late sat right at the
back, next to me. I felt that the facilitators spoke primarily to the Indian participants in
the front and excluded the African participants....
While I have been critical, I was pleased that educators within a subject area could come
together, share and offer support to each other.
Extract from Independent Observer: Gary
The group (Indian lady only) spoke about teamwork The African man was tasked to write
thiS down while the African lady remained passive the African man and the Indian lady
argued about who should present. The African lady was excluded from this....
No real sharing took place. All that was shared was your notes. The sharing of ideas was
merely verbal and from a very personal or school circumstances. Unfortunately the Africans
present were marginalized. Those I spoke to found the meeting good since they could
interact with other schools... I am not sure that a community of teachers will develop. They
came for the notes. I doubt if they will meet on their own.
In the above two extracts, observers commented on their perceptions ofracial dynamics
in the TEMS programme, and that undermined the community ofpractice. In attempting
to understand the issue of 'African exclusion' that these observers raised, the work of
Wolpe (1988) on explaining social difference has reference. Wolpe argues that in trying
to understand social difference, issues of politics, class and race must be considered, as
they produce differentiations within groups. Simply
(p)rivileging race... as a category of analysis underplays the ways in which a whole range
ofconditions and processes influence the sense ofcohesiveness and fragmentation within
groups The racial discourse of apartheid has been carried into the new South
Africa (and )... (t)he new reform agenda has remained firmly within the discourse of
race (Soudien 2004:91).
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