Understanding teaching through inquiry into school contexts

Abstract

A guiding assumption of this article is that, because teachers' work is defined within a social context, understanding teaching requires an intimate understanding of both the broader and particular contexts within which teaching practice is situated and finds expression. The authors focus on researching schools as an important part of how teachers come to understand themselves and their work. To illustrate the role that school context plays in the way teachers (and other educators) engage in their work, they draw on a recent research project undertaken by one teacher in her school. The authors then go on to further elaborate the relationship between school context and teacher development. In conclusion, they suggest a reflexive inquiry framework as a way for teachers to engage in ongoing explorations of their practices-in-context. © 1999 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.