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of the self. The notion of development comes to be applied, not only to professionalpractice or public conduct, but to identity itself, which is held to be in a state ofsuspension.” (MacLure 1999 p. 321)Since research outcomes such as this dominate the field it is not surprising that therapeuticresponses are currently being deployed to help teachers “get better”. Weare writes that,“Having a clear, positive and realistic self-concept includes:• Liking myself (although not always liking my behaviour)• Valuing and respecting myself as a unique individual• Being able to identify and feel positive about my own strengths• Being able to identify my own limitations and vulnerabilities, and accepting themwithout undue self-blame or guilt• Seeing myself as separate from others, with the right to be treated with respect andkindness by others• Not being harder on myself than I am on others• Understanding aspects of myself, such as my personality, preferences and needs• Having an accurate and realistic assessment of how I compare with others at themoment”(Weare, 2004 p. 23)I find this a thought-provoking statement about the current ontologies of teachers, both becauseit can be interpreted as a positive agenda for self-evaluation but also because it could become atick list against which school managers might begin to assess the personal identities of theirstaff. For me, it provides the kind of construct whereby I can begin to analyse more deeply, themotivations and impetuses that caused myself to adopt the professional learning dispositions andbehaviours I did. Certainly this research process is causing me to have to understand, "aspectsof myself, such as my personality, preferences and needs." (Weare, ibid)Models of coaching, however, currently being embedded in leadership and managementprogrammes within the National College for School Leadership, for example, are predicated onthe assumption that participants need to be shown where their deficiencies are so that they canmove forward in the professional lives and thus – it is thinly veiled – improve the quality ofschooling for pupils (NCSL, 2007). Noteworthy in this field of professional learning is the63Simon Hughes Ph.D. Thesis (October 2012)