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

teacher growth. CPD in Africa subscribes to the fonner typology, which starts from the
premise ofteacher defect (Christie et al 2004). Because CPD is often viewed as a means
of implementing refonn or policy changes, this can disguise issues relating to the
underlying purposes ofthe activity. If CPD is conceived ofas serving the purpose of
preparing teachers to implement refonns then it is likely to align itselfwith the training
and deficit models (transmission view ofCPD). A community ofpractice model based on
the principles ofsocial practice theory, while it could also serve the above function, is
however more likely to create opportunities that support teachers in contributing to
shaping education policy and practice (Kennedy 2005).
The challenge in developing a curriculum for a teacher development programme in which
teachers do in fact have a deficit in terms ofrelevant subject content knowledge is to
interrogate the assumption ofthe 'deficit model' for continuing professional
development. Such a model assumes that teachers need to be provided with knowledge
and skills that they do not already have, and that all teachers' circumstances are the same,
and that there is a corresponding relationship between teacher learning and pupil
progress. Adopting the'aspirational model' of continuing professional development
however, acknowledges that effective teachers can build and improve existing
lmowledge. This model builds on research into effective schools and teachers and
teachers' identities, work, and lives (Day and Sachs 2004). A useful point ofdeparture in
a context where teachers lack content lmowledge is to adopt Grundy and Robison's
conception of the interconnected purposes ofcontinuing professional development,
namely, extension, growth and renewal. Extension would entail the introduction ofnew
lmowledge and skills into a teacher's repertoire; growth and renewal would refer to the
development ofgreater levels of expertise that can be attained by changing lmowledge
and practice (Grundy and Robison 2004).
313