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

Not only are members of a community ofpractice different, but also working together
created differences as well as similarities. In as much as they developed shared ways of
doing things, members also distinguished themselves or gained a reputation. Each
participant in a community ofpractice finds a unique place and gains a unique identity,
which is both further integrated and further defined in the course of engagement in the
community ofpractice (Wenger 1998). In TEMS for example, John was seen as the
joker, with a sense ofhumour, relating urban legends and other quaint stories and
teaching experiences, while Cindy had a more purposeful and businesslike disposition.
She took care of the logistics ofthe programme and made sure that events proceeded as
planned (Cindy's organisation and coordination skills were reflected in the vignettes in
7.2 above).
Evidence ofJohn's approach can be seen in the following extract taken from a workshop
observation report dated 17 September 2003. John was introducing the topic 'inflation' to
the TEMS group.
Extract from workshop observation report: 17 September 2003:
...John paused to reflect on his own past - early childhood (obviously felt comfortable to do
this. He described himself as 'coming from the sixties' (caused some laughter). - reflecting
on his age. He described how on his first day of school, his parents had dressed him and
taken a photograph and had given him two and a half cents as pocket money - (again some
laughter)...
He explained that when he mentioned this to his current pupils in his lesson, his pupils
laughed out loud, asking what could be bought with two and a half cents. He said that he
went on to explain that back in the sixties, two and a half cents could buy four sweets, two
bubble gums, and a packet of nuts. He noted that similar sweets of a poorer quality costs
much more today...
... John then moved on and asked the group to reflect on spending over the last decade.
He described that he had a 'sweet tooth' "r don't know if you have a sweet tooth but r do.
Every sweet that lands on my desk goes into my mouth - r have a high dental bill!" (laughter)
Mutual engagement involved not merely the competence ofan individual participant but
the competence ofall participants. Mutual engagement draws on what participants do and
what they know as well as their ability to connect meaningfully to what they do not do
and do not know, that is, the ability to connect meaningfully to the contributions and
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