Diane,
In respect to Scribner's push for ethnographic study of workplaces and work
relationships I would first state that what you have written, Diane,
is an excellent ethnographic study. I find it interesting that the
references and method for doing so do not coincide with my way of
understanding the dynamic that exists between individual consciousness and
social practice, certainly a result of us having lived different lifes and
bringing different histories to our current careers. There is no reference
to Vygotsky's concept of consciousness and Pierce's abductive reasoning is
not mentioned. Also, when I think of narratives I think of Bahktin and his
concept of dialogic inquiry. I am not implying that these should have been
references I am only stating that when I read your paper I inserted my own
thoughts regarding the written material and the theories and ideas I
reference are not included.
Your observations of the culture of early childhood and of student-teaching
hit the mark. My biggest point of difference regarding this paper is that
the concept of 'community of practice' appears to construct cultural
phenomenon as being closed systems (see Valsiner in his Culture and the
Development of Children's Actions, 1997). Although the 'community of
practice' metaphor does explain people's behavior in cultural settings it
does not exhibit a very sound method for soliciting change.
I agree 100% about identifying more with the children then with the teachers
and this indeed has got me into many a lecture situation with administrators
but I refuse to view it as a me vs them attitude and this is what the
'community of practice' concept brings to mind.
One more thing I would like to add is the extent to which you reflect upon
your exeriences and how you have used these reflections to construct a
narrative that allows you to understand your present situation. This
refelction and this narrative speaks to how you form your consciousness and
how you expect to be view in the world. Skinner (not B.F. and I can't
remember her first name, sorry) wrote a fascinating article about how
Nepalese adolescent's formulate their personel identity through the use of
narratives. If I can find the reference I will post it on a later date.
I enjoyed the paper and related to much of what you wrote regarding the
"old-girl" network of early childhood education it just is not the approach I
would have taken if I were to write a narative regarding my own experience in
student-teaching. I beleive I suffered a bit more because of not agreeing
with my Teacher/Boss, I quit. I refused to take the authoritative stance she
kept insisting that I take. I didn't zip through lessons but took the time
to sit and listen to a student discuss their evening's events. I left the
room to address a student's personal problems and committed the gravest error
of all, I ate lunch with the kids instead of taking the time to prepare
paperwork. I am currently a teacher in spite of this teacher's efforts to
discourage me from being one and I work in a program that encourages me to
take the child's perspective ( they're not really children but 16-21 year old
adolescent/young adults).
Because of your courage to write about your experiences I said a bit more
then I intended but in any regard the theoretical differences still remain
between how I view my experience and how you have narrated yours.
Bill, sorry that doesn't do much about relating to Scribner but perhaps
another time.
Eric
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