Border Crossings: Cross-Cultural Interpretations of the Professional Self

• In Event: Educational Border-Crossings: Exploring Political and Cultural Boundaries and Their Influences on Educational Practice

Abstract

Objectives:
In this presentation, we discuss a cross–cultural exploration of investigations into the experiences of Canadian and U.S. educators with professional induction in foreign settings. We present our inquiries through the lens of cross–cultural dialogue in order to bring to light experiential facets and effects of teaching abroad that interweave global and national curriculum boundaries. As such, our research objectives were to: analyze the experiential stories of new teachers in foreign school contexts; examine the relationship between teaching abroad, teacher identity, and cultural identity; explore the effects of international teacher induction for educating students in multicultural North American schools; and to deliberate over contextualized understandings of cross–cultural teaching placements as situated among and between Canadian and U.S. teachers.

Theoretical Framework:
This study follows the narrative inquiry research tradition of Clandinin and Connelly (2000). Our cross–cultural examination of pragmatic stories of international teacher induction was also guided by Schwab’s (1969) theories of the practical in education and Dewey’s (1938) notion of the link between experience and education. Moreover, we consulted with research on teaching abroad (Cushner & Brennan, 2007) and experiential inquiries on cross–cultural teaching (Mahon & Espinetti, 2007; Malewski & Phillion, 2009).

Methods:
Over the course of two years, we communicated about our respective inquiry findings and investigative puzzles via e–mail, telephone communications, and in–person researcher dialogues. Building on our oral and written discussions, we constructed reflective field notes. Furthermore, we shared written constructive commentary and feedback as data. We reviewed all field texts to draw common narrative threads among our storied data.

Results:
Within our presentation, we highlight through the discussion of experiential stories the overall impact of investigational settings and contextually embedded notions related to cultural diversity. We display how interpreting our field texts together through cross–cultural dialogue resulted in attending to narrative threads that demonstrate an integration of culture; identity; and teaching, particularly as situated in and across cross–cultural school settings. As well, we illuminate the need for further experiential inquiry to gain insight into the contextualized nuances of cross–cultural teaching.

Significance:
While teaching abroad provides teachers with possibilities for cultural and global professional development, there is a dearth of research dealing with the long–term impact of early foreign teaching experiences on teaching practices. Even fewer studies highlight the particularities of crossing cultures and school cultures in terms of curriculum and instruction. Significantly, we shed light on some of the particular experiential features and effects of international professional practice for new teachers. We also highlight the application of foreign practice for developing educators professionally for work in North American multicultural curriculum settings. As a result, our research contributes to the literature on curriculum, educator professional preparation and development, and work dealing with programs for study abroad.

Authors

• Candace M. Schlein, University of Missouri - Kansas City

• Barbara Garii, SUNY - College at Oswego