Hi Tim/All
I think that is such an important point - and directly relates to teachers'
CPD. The Teacher Learning Academy's 4 Stages of Recognition scheme asks
teachers to describe their learning journey as they improve their teaching -
what are the learning breakthroughs and how does a mentor or coach help this
process. The focus is on enabling the teacher to teach better so as to have
a positive impact on their children's learning. That may well they come to
understand how they teach and how they learn in the process. It may be they
need to understand how they teach in order to teach better but the outcome
of the teaching process is the 'prize'. Now, whether it should be that is a
question we need to address. I think it is important to value that teachers
learn how to teach better. In an era where teachers are assessed against
Professional Standards from the Teacher Development Agency they are more
likely to see immediate relevance in improving teaching rather than learning
to understand how & why they are teaching well. And back to Jack's point...
We need meta-cognition about how it is that teachers come to improve their
own understanding of their teaching, I think, in order to create and sustain
environments in which they can learn to teach better - and this doesn't just
apply in schools but in other education/al contexts. Incidentally, Barra - I
do agree with Hatch when he observes that 'researchers sometimes "use" the
individuals they are studying, taking more than they are giving in the
research bargain.' Been there and had it happen to me and it is unethical.
Engaging with Brian's posting - yes, I think action research can and should
generate knowledge about practice which is then to be systematically tested
for its relevance, durability and its transferability within other contexts.
Where I become more than a little cynical about 'practitioner research' is
where 'practitioner researcher' voices are lost in the process of gaining
accreditation in higher education. Where to speak in the language of one's
practice is seen as something somehow to be educated out and replaced by a
new language that I will call Academese. What worries me about practitioner
research is that practitioner voice is filtered and the authenticity it can
convey is lost where practitioners borrow their tutor's language in order to
ensure they are 'acceptable' to be awarded a qualification by a university.
I am not at all saying this is always the case. I am saying I know it
occurs and the knowledge carried in the language of the practitioner fades
away...
Sarah
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