A characterization of connections, understanding the professional knowledge of one adult basic education teacher

This study was concerned with describing and understanding teachers' professional knowledge. Personal, practical and pedagogical knowledge, mirro-political and contextual knowledge, and a recognition of the inherent unity of thought and action, were incorporated into the conceptualization of teachers' professional knowledge. The research employed the life history method with one participant, an experienced teacher of adult basic education, in a community college in a large and ethnically diverse suburban municipality in metropolitan Toronto, Canada. An intensive, year-long phase of data gathering utilized life history interviews, classroom observations, interviews and discussions about teaching practice and both personal and public documents. Data were analyzed according to phenomenological and hermeneutic techniques. The non-reductionist analysis of the teacher-participant's practice, within her unique life story and its particular contexts, produced a characterization of the individual's professional knowledge. This richly descriptive representation illustrates the structure and nature of the teacher-participant's world view, her philosophical stance, a set of operating principles which guide her behaviour, and the image or facade she presents to the public. The results demonstrate the coherence and consistency of this teacher's life outside the classroom, over time, and her behaviour and thoughts as a classroom teacher. In addition, the findings illustrate the idiosyncratic nature of teacher knowledge, resulting from the unique interpretations of life's varying experiences. The significance of the study rests in the contributions it provides through deeper understanding of one teacher's professional knowledge. The inquiry provides compelling support for increased appreciation of the complexity of the phenomenon. It offers confirmation of the conclusive role of the interaction between the teacher's personal history and contextual factors in the construction of professional knowledge. The study provides evidence to support the notion of teacher knowledge as an essentially idiosyncratic phenomenon and contributes to the formation of the case for a more holistic and in-depth approach to appreciating and understanding teacher knowledge and teacher development. The context of the participant's work as a teacher of adults in a community college makes an important contribution to widening the perspective on teacher thinking and teacher knowledge and provides important foundational knowledge for those concerned with understanding the knowledge and practice of adult educators. Implications of the research include support for teacher development efforts which recognize the legitimacy of self-direction within the context of endeavours which emphasize a wide variety of strategies for assistance and support. Further, the study suggests the need for additional attention to and respect for the voices and views of individual educational workers within organizational development activities. From a methodological perspective, the study demonstrates the potential of the life history method for developing understanding of teacher knowledge through accessing the personal, social, historical, economic and political circumstances which contribute to the construction of professional knowledge.