A teaching narrative: my growth as a foreign language educator through teaching diaries

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to share my perceptions and reflections on the experience of introducing elements of autonomy in a constrained educational setting in Argentina. I recorded these perceptions in teaching diaries written weekly after each class for the academic year 2005 (over 35 weeks). These teaching diaries are part of a larger, long-term, qualitative action-research study aimed at introducing some elements of autonomy in my University-based classroom for the first time, and diary writing as a vehicle for channelling my reactions to the innovation. The teaching diaries portray my feelings, emotions, values, and beliefs and offer testimony of my professional growth as I struggled to modify my classroom practices to make my teaching more responsive to my beliefs about good pedagogy within the constraints at my University.

Keywords:

• qualitative action‐research study
• learner autonomy and responsibility
• teaching diaries
• journaling for professional development