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

Extract from Mary's final interview:
Mary: You know for a teacher who is just starting to teach EMS, like I've gained
knowledge eh, skills as well, different ideas that we shared while we were
there, the little projects, you know the presentations that we did. We could
see that how one aspect could be interpreted by different groups
differently and how new ideas came out and how you would look at it from
different perspectives. And I would say I got a lot of direction in my
teaching of EMS. Ja, I feel more confident. I see myself taking my children
through stages. Perhaps I would honestly admit that that I ... at the
beginning, having not so much knowledge of the subject itself waS just doing
little things- little bits here and there. But like now it's more constructive.
And there is more direction, even for the child.
It is noticeable here that Mary's teaching had been fragmented in the past. She indicated
that she had a lot more 'direction' in her teaching. She regarded her teaching as being
more 'constructive'. In the extract below, she explained how she had begun to write her
own EMS case studies and how other teachers in her school had started using a similar
approach to teaching EMS. She felt that she was providing more opportunities for her
pupils to 'read,' 'criticise' and give their 'opinions'. Mary's shifting understanding ofthe
EMS learning area was significant. She had moved from having a distinctively 'weak
understanding' towards a rapidly 'developing understanding' ofthe learning area. This
was evident in that she was able to harness her language and writing skills to compile
cognitively challenging case studies that illuminated economic phenomena and concepts
that she wanted her pupils to learn.
Mary: Yes - I find that with EMS, I learnt how to write my own stories, my case
studies and other teachers are beginning to catch on. - and the children are
enjoying it as well. Where in the past, where we just spilled out information,
the child is now given a chance to read, criticise, give his opinion - like there
is a shift, most definitely.
Shirley's changed attitude and knowledge ofEMS is reflected in the next extract.
Extract from final interview: Shirley
MM:
Shirley:
If you were to compare your current knowledge of EMS to your knowledge
at the beginning of the year, is there a difference?
Phew! What a question. Of course there's a difference. I was in the dark.
But now, I have something to work from. I've got my EMS file. It's looking
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