Restoring Meaning to Teaching
Knowing your Colleagues
At the end of the project, the teachers talked about their experiences with their teacher study group.
Jill: We shared our individual successes and failures in an environment without judgment. Everyone was willing to help or offer suggestions, support, and new ideas.
Anna: I have really looked forward to these meetings. You always leave here with new ideas. It was rejuvenating.
Lynn: I realized I was not alone, that other people were having problems.
Lisa: We looked at how children learn and the relationship to our teaching, but without a rigid format. Flexibility and collegiality were really important.
Carrie: We never have a time to really be with other teachers. We need to be able to vent with colleagues on this level.
Maureen: We had interesting and deeper conversations. This was the first time I have ever met with a group of teachers where I was not afraid to say what I wanted. It was a safe place.
The teachers used the study group to explore ideas together, consider alternative viewpoints, and establish common ground. They found it meaningful to engage in a process that involved explicating and questioning their theories, beliefs, and assumptions about teaching and learning with colleagues. As they engaged in personal and group reflection, the teachers began to value and also question the knowledge and expertise that they brought to teaching. They also identified areas where they needed to improve. Even the least experienced among us has what Parker Palmer describes as "a teacher within," an inner voice that--if we attend to it--can help guide us to our best work. This inner voice "is not the voice of conscience but of identity and integrity. It speaks not of what ought to be but of what is real for us, of what is true" (1998, p. 30).
Carrie, who started the project with the view of learning as "someone pouring stuff into your head," found that working with colleagues had a positive impact on her practice. She wrote,
"I do a lot more analysis of myself as a teacher of children and as a part of an adult community of teachers. I find that I try much harder to really understand how kids learn. This group . . . allowed me to feel comfortable enough to share who I am as a teacher and as a person . . . . It gave me a great feeling of respect for my fellow teachers, and I, in turn, felt highly respected . . . . Also, I am trying much harder to make sure that what I teach my kids has a purpose and has meaning."
Teachers in the five study groups found answers and insights to rejuvenate their practice by becoming learners themselves. Jennifer talked about how she has changed her perception of herself and her profession.
"I followed the teacher's manuals faithfully. I figured that these people had done a lot of research and knew more than I did. Now, I have more confidence in me. Having the time to talk to other teachers and hear their views has helped me have the courage to try some different things. Now, my objective is for both my students and me to know what is important and what is expected. . . . Talking to other teachers has given me the time to reflect on exactly what I'm doing and how to make it better. . . . I trust teachers who are in the classroom daily. . . . I have renewed my joy in teaching."
The teachers in the groups found some strategies helped them make better decisions that focused on student learning. Carol said she began to really observe what was going on in her class, and Camille said she started asking for input from her kids and involved them in classroom decisions. Elizabeth tied the group process to the overall improvement of her teaching.
"Just getting to know my fellow teachers as professionals has changed the way I teach. . . . [Now] I see my job as to help my students learn, help them learn how to learn, and help them assess their own growth and learning."
In the teacher study groups, teachers examined their choices about curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Together, they developed an understanding of learning and of students that could guide their instructional decision-making. They learned that each of them had knowledge of teaching that is valuable, and this was empowering for them.
Next Page: In Conclusion
