Relational Teacher Development: Growing Collaboratively in a Hoping Relationship

Teacher Education Quarterly, Spring 2009 by Kitchen, Julian

A Story of Teacher Renewal

Bob Fitzgerald had just transferred to Lippincott School in Toronto, Canada, when I began observing his class. Towards the end of October, Principal Lois Dexter gave Bob a poor preliminary performance appraisal. Bob described the meeting to me at the end of the day:

The principal asked to see his lessons. He showed her his weekly planner. She then asked to see his unit plan for the Middle Ages. He did not have one written. Nor did he have them for other units. He told her that he was following the Ministry guidelines carefully and had a framework in his head. She said that this made it look like he was "flying by the seat of his pants". She wanted to see a unit plan for the Middle Ages by Monday. (Field Notes, October, 28, 1998)

I assured Bob that he had good ideas and had developed a positive class atmosphere. While I was supportive, I acknowledged that there was a basis for the principal's criticisms. His core strengths, I suggested, would be more evident if he polished the surfaces and sharpened his skills so that he would be more successful.

Over the next few weeks, with my encouragement and support, Bob worked harder and performed more effectively. By January 1999, after the principal had formally observed his class again, Bob had received a positive final evaluation from the principal. By the end of the year, the principal spoke in glowing terms of his improvement. A year after the principal's visit, Bob declared, "Everyday is a pleasure" (Field Notes, October 28, 1999). My observations of his classroom practice over the next four years confirmed that there had been a profound transformation. In 2008, three years after he qualified for retirement at full pension, Bob continues to enjoy teaching Grade 4 at Lippincott School.

How had Bob changed? How had our collaborative relationship contributed to his renewal?

In the last decade, educational reform efforts have focussed primarily on "technical fixes-changes in structures and practices" (Welner & Oakes, 2008, p. 92) such as mandated curriculum and standardized tests. The imposition of these accountability measures has led to the deprofessionalization of teachers as mediators between the curriculum and the students in the classrooms. Today, these imposed solutions are increasingly viewed as superficial and ineffective. One of the major criticisms is that these technical fixes fail to address the beliefs, behaviors and core beliefs of the teachers (Fullan, 2008; Welner & Oakes, 2008). There is growing recognition that teachers' activities are central to meaningful learning in classrooms and that teacher development must actively engagement teachers in order to improve learning and reculture schools (Fullan, 2008; Spillane, 2004).

While the professional knowledge and ongoing professional development of teachers have long been subjects of inquiry, there is much still to be understood about the experiences of teachers and, particularly, the professional renewal of veteran teachers. This narrative inquiry, which focusses on the experiences of one teacher, examines how a respectful and relational approach to teacher development can result in deep and sustained professional growth and renewal.

Bob Fitzgerald is a teacher who improved dramatically over the course of a few months and, more significantly, maintained his new positive attitude and effective practices for years afterwards. I puzzled over his apparent transformation because there was no apparent cause. It was not due to the acquisition of new instructional strategies or curriculum resources, as Bob had attended only a few professional development workshops, and assigned them little importance. The principal's feedback seemed to act as a spur, yet Bob, fairly or unfairly, viewed her interventions in a negative light. The curriculum and instruction support I offered was very limited as I had no experience in elementary schools.

I was a doctoral student when I entered Bob's school to conduct a narrative inquiry into the personal practical knowledge of teachers (Connelly & Clandinin, 1988) in 1998. As the school was involved in a technology initiative, my initial intention was to focus on how teachers' incorporated computers into their understandings of classroom teaching and learning. After several weeks, I narrowed my focus to one veteran teacher, Bob. I observed his class at least once a week during the first year of the study, and continued to observe periodically for three more years. As a former secondary school teacher, who became a university-based teacher educator after the first year of the study, our relationship was as much teacher-to-teacher as it was researcher-to-participant. During the first year, I interacted with the students as an educational assistant and offered assistance with computers, in order to give something back and as a means of observing Bob and his students in action.

As our relationship deepened, I began to wonder if the rapport we developed working on the computerized report cards had helped foster Bob's professional renewal. Perhaps, befriending and entering into an authentic and respectful mentoring relationship with Bob had contributed to his professional growth. Perhaps, addressing his concerns and demonstrating empathy and respect had a significant impact on his sense of efficacy as a teacher. As I explored these possibilities through the analysis of field texts and discussions with Bob, these relational elements grew in importance. While I had little to offer, I wondered if our relationship had provided Bob with the support he needed to renew himself.