Teacher Educators Doing Inquiry Work in Pre-K–5 Schools: Reclaiming the Role of Narrative in Teacher Research

• In Event: The Role of Narrative and Dialogue in Teacher Research

Abstract

Two teacher educators describe and analyze their P-5 classroom teaching in the areas of preschool literacy and elementary science via their roles as teacher researchers. The research focuses on the role of narrative in students’ content area learning and the use of narrative inquiry as an effective approach for teacher research. Project findings indicate the instructional value of narrative-based content learning across the P-5 developmental span, and the use of narrative to strengthen children’s level of engagement, curiosity, and problem-solving in their content learning. Project implications include the power of narrative for promoting new forms of engaged content area learning for young students, and the pedagogical and political value of teacher educators engaged in narrative-based teacher research in local classrooms.

Authors

• Stephanie L. Sisk-Hilton, San Francisco State University

• Daniel Meier, San Francisco State University