Descriptive inquiry: cultivating practical wisdom with teachers

Abstract

Teaching is a complex task that requires that the teacher be skilled at responding effectively and ethically to unexpected situations. Many have linked a teacher’s facility in the classroom to Aristotle’s concept of phronesis, translated in this paper as practical wisdom. While the relationship between practical wisdom and teaching has gotten attention, more concrete ways of cultivating practical wisdom in teachers is needed. In this paper, I highlight how a particular practice, descriptive review, can help teachers develop practical wisdom.

Keywords:

• Practical wisdom
• teacher cultivation
• descriptive inquiry

Notes

1. For ease in reading and equity, I have chosen to alternate the gender throughout this paper when a singular pronoun is necessary.

2. For those seeking to explore the processes in depth, the practitioner’s guidebook is Prospect’s Descriptive Processes: The Child, the Art of Teaching and the Classroom and School: Revised Edition (Himley, Strieb, Carini, Kanevsky, & Wice, 2002). From Another Angle: Children’s Strengths and School Standards (2000) offers in-depth examples of how descriptive inquiry is practiced. For a relatively brief but also more thorough look at the processes themselves, see Rodgers (2011), ‘Learning to See: The Prospect School’s Teacher Education Program’s Beginnings.’ As with any practice, the ideal way to engage in descriptive inquiry is to participate in it.

3. For a detailed description of these categories see Himley et al., 2000, pp. 38–47. Examples of full reviews are given throughout the text.

4. This is a pseudonym.