Autobiographical reflections for teacher professional learning

Abstract

This article is based on the principle that teacher development is a life-long process when seeking to develop professional competencies. With the changing views of teacher education as background, the benefits to teachers associated with practice-oriented knowledge are predicated on a measure of empowerment through narration, self-expression and reflection. A life-story may represent the outward articulation of a teacher’s inner scrutiny, and demonstrate the ‘we-experience’ of a professional learning community arising out of its social structures and processes. Using autobiography as pedagogy, the article focuses on what a particular teacher’s narrative is expressing, how it is demonstrating that belief or life value, and why this process is worthwhile for professional learning. Such an autobiographical approach to ‘learning to teach’ is itself one response challenging the traditional theories of teacher knowledge within the theory–practice dichotomy.

Keywords:

• experiential pedagogies
• autobiographical reflections
• teacher professional learning

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Tinnok Ng for his autobiographical input, which helps her (as teacher-educator) achieve a deepened appreciation of the lives of teachers, and illuminates the social constructionist process of her own professional learning.

Notes

1. According to the new requirements specified by the SCOLAR, starting from the 2004/05 school year, ‘new Chinese and English language teachers in primary and secondary schools should hold at least a Bachelor of Education degree majoring in the relevant language subject, or both a first/higher degree majoring in the relevant language subject and a recognised teacher training qualification majoring in the relevant language subject’ (Education and Manpower Bureau 2004, p. 1). It is also possible for ‘new language teachers holding a first degree in a subject not relevant to the language they teach’ to pursue a postgraduate diploma or certificate in education majoring in the relevant language subject, and ‘a postgraduate programme focusing on the subject knowledge of that particular language within five years of taking up the employment’ (Education and Manpower Bureau 2004, p. 2). Schools are advised to set conditions in the employment contracts and prepare professional development plans for those newly recruited language teachers without the required qualifications.