Did someone mention that theory is a practice? Theory is what theorists do.
There are three things that fall out of thinking of theory as a practice.
First, it addresses the ideological/identity barrier of what constitutes what
a person does in life/for a living. So, if I'm a fifth grade teacher, I
teach, I don't do theory.
Second, thinking so addresses the issue that practice of theory consumes an
ecological resource -- time. So again, if I'm a fifth grade teacher who must
address the state scores on reading and mathematics, as well as do the 10,000
other things that my job demands, I don't have time for theory either.
Third, like the practice of let's say, computer technician, the practice
comes replete with a technical discourse, an ensemble of routines, a diffuse
set of wartofskian artifacts, i.e. conceptual toolkits and texts, etc. So
while cognition-in-head'ers would focus on the abstraction of theory as a
barrier to be addressed by mediated development, I'd like to consider that
more generally as the theory-as-practice barrier to be addressed by mediated
development.
It's not to say that i think the practice of doing theory should not become
part of teaching practice, or that there are no solutions for making this
happen. But I do think the situation of making education more inclusive of
theory will benefit by using the theoretical tools we have, and consequently
by looking at the tensions that exist between the extant system and that of
the future.
Anyway, this is how i've been thinking of things lately and would like to
push against this way of thinking -- really kick it around, so if anyone has
suggestions for who has troddent this or similar ground (Mehan comes to mind)
or would simply like to argue ( in a discussive way), it would be very much
appreciated.
Sorry, I can't seem to read xmca without putting in two cents.
bb
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