Examining the Professional Life of an Elementary School Teacher: Literacy Education in the Making

• In Event: 42.052 - Negotiating Conflicting Frameworks to Reimagine Literacy, Language, and Dyslexia

Abstract

In this longitudinal study we followed 42 teachers, 20 over their first 13 years of teaching and 22 over their first 10 years. This paper examines the career of one teacher, following her from beginning to mid career. During this period, the teacher achieved a great deal of informal learning – especially at the school level. The teacher's focus shifted from curriculum planning to student-needs and individualization. Over time, her literacy program evolved to a more fluid and inclusive pedagogy that focused on the context of students' lives. We concluded that there should be more emphasis on informal teacher learning in preservice and inservice programming, and at the school level, emphasis should be given to the local community and student context.

Authors

• Yiola Cleovoulou, University of Toronto

• Clive M. Beck, OISE/University of Toronto

• Clare Kosnik, University of Toronto/OISE