Culture, Pedagogy and Teacher Change in an Urban High School: How Would You Like Tour Eggs Done?

Abstract

The use of culture is often applied to the change process. To address the problematic issues associated with using culture as a construct the metaphor of an egg is applied to individual change. This study examines the personal culture of an experienced male teacher of physical education and the change process he endured while implementing a sport education curriculum model to a class of grade nine students in an urban American high school. The teacher found that implementing a new pedagogy that challenged his existing practices forced him to confront his personal beliefs and underlying assumptions about physical education. A seven stage typology is presented that represents the change process that occurred within the culture of this physical education setting.