Situating teacher development: the view from two teachers’ perspectives

Using a narrative inquiry methodology, this 10-year study examined the situated nature of two teachers’ development. Research questions examined how the teachers situated their own learning, how they developed discourse communities for teaching and learning, and how they used tools in their work. Findings suggest that the following elements of situational learning were central to their development: questions that they drew from their practice; a balance between autonomy and collaboration found in peer collaboration focused on questions drawn from practice; the use of language and inclusion of new perspectives within discourse communities; improvisation and experimentation in practice, and support from administrators. king finding was that these teachers’ practice developed among multiple and sometimes contradictory pathways.