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

In Chapter One I described the sequence ofevents that led to my involvement with the
community ofEMS teachers. Gaining entry into the group ofEMS teachers facilitated
my eventual access to schools. The feedback that I received from teachers during the
initial workshop evaluation session indicated that there was a need for regular workshops.
It also confirmed the notion that teachers teaching EMS were in fact struggling to
develop and teach the EMS curriculum. The absence ofsubject content knowledge in
EMS appeared to be the main difficulty that EMS teachers experienced.
4.6.2 A way around gatekeepers
In ethnography, the term 'gatekeeper' is referred to as the person who is able to grant
access to the research site. Once I had gained initial acceptance by the participating
teachers, gaining access to the schools became an easier task. The principals ofall five
participating schools, having received positive feedback about the initial EMS workshop,
were very receptive ofme and were keen to learn more about the project. Educational
researchers must learn to 'sell' themselves and their research more effectively (Walford
2001). Researchers have to be clear how the research project can be 'sold' to those who
can grant access and clarify what the potential benefits are to them. Researchers have to
be clear about what benefits researchers, the process ofresearch, and the research
findings themselves can offer.
The researcher must use the initial interview to quell any doubts that the principal may
have about the research (ibid.). Issues ofconfidentiality and anonymity must be
discussed. It is important to plan how one presents oneselfat access meetings. It is crucial
to make a good first impression with gatekeepers (Delamont 2002). Attention needs to be
paid to dress and hairstyle and to what personal infonnation one divulges. I made a point
ofbeing formally dressed, wearing formal pants with collared shirt. This proved to be
important as all the principals in the participating schools were always formally dressed
and presented official and businesslike dispositions at the initial meetings. My
introduction to the principal ofEden Primary School was a critical point in the project. At
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