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

tactic by indicating to research participants that they had been especially selected to join a
limited number of schools to take part in the project (Walford 2001). All principals in this
study appeared to be acutely aware ofthe need to be seen to be 'progressive' and
supportive oftheir teachers' development.
My regular visits to each school often necessitated a fifteen to twenty minute
'compulsory' talk with the principal before I could get to the teachers. It became
necessary for me to factor this into my planning. In my interactions with principals, it
became increasingly clear that my continued access to teachers and their classrooms
depended on maintaining cordial relationships with the principals ofthe schools.
Establishing and maintaining rapport with key gatekeepers was crucial to the success of
the research study. As researcher and strategist, I soon learnt how to identify issues that
principals enjoyed conversing about and used this to good advantage as and when the
need arose.
4.6.3 About reciprocal relationships
Asking people to volunteer as participants raises major ethical problems. People most
likely to volunteer tend to be the more powerless in society (Anderson 1999). People may
feel obligated to participate because ofpeer pressure or people may volunteer with the
expectation that they may be helped. However, in developing the relationships with
principals and schools, I was mindful ofthe need to develop reciprocal relationships.
Lather (1986:263) defines reciprocity as follows: "Reciprocity implies give and take, a
mutual negotiation ofmeaning and power". According to Vithal (2000) reciprocity averts
the likelihood that the research process may be a failure. Reciprocity is likely to
strengthen research participants' commitment to the research project. The principal of
Eden Primary, the base for the project, received personal recognition and recognition for
his school by having all project correspondence such as invitations and workshop notices
printed on his school's letterhead with him as co-signatory.
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