The value of aesthetic teacher learning: Drawing a parallel between the teaching and writing process

Abstract

Although teacher learning has often been overlooked in discussions surrounding classroom practice, it is believed that learning cultivates the resilience and vitality needed for teachers to thrive. Teachers have often been required to demonstrate a high level of skill and professionalism as they orchestrate tasks that maximise student engagement. Their work has consequently been compared to that of artists, who display their skills of craftsmanship as they construct meaningful learning activities, such as a keen sense of discernment, creativity and presence. The current article illustrates how learning to write reflectively can help teachers acquire the aesthetic skills needed to craft meaningful learning encounters. Reflective writing has been considered as one key method for facilitating teacher learning as it enables practitioners to critically reflect on and improve their practices. This article, however, focuses on how learning to write can enhance a teacher's aesthetic awarenes, as practitioners learn to imbue their words with presence and to depict their encounters creatively. It further illustrates how these same aesthetic skills can be used in the classroom to craft rich teaching and learning encounters and to ultimately enhance teacher vitality and resilience.