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Abstract
This research documents the ways in which a self-generated, self-directed, self-study group of teachers can serve as an effective model of professional development. Data suggest that the Alumnae Group began with a shared desire to communicate. Over time, members developed a shared language that was concrete, precise and coherent. This shared language coupled with an ethos of critical friendship enabled participants to grapple meaningfully with dilemmas of teaching – identifying and comparing practices and developing a more complex schema for meeting the needs of students. This process appears to be the foundation on which the success of the group rests as well as a model of professional development.
Notes
Some of the quotations cited in this paper have been edited for narrative cohesion. Every effort has been made to ensure that they capture the intended meaning. Transcripts and drafts of this paper were submitted to group members on an ongoing basis. When individuals reported errors in recording or interpretation, revisions were made and reviewed by all members of the group.