Teachers' Voices Shaping Transformation: A Multiple Case Study of Personal Practical Knowledge Among Middle Level Teachers

Abstract

This multiple case study paired each of five researchers with different middle level teachers to explore the nature of their personal practical knowledge about middle level teaching, about learning, and about students. Bi-weekly observations of two class periods over a six-month interval and three interviews provided data for the study. Regular meetings of the researchers also influenced and informed the study.The individual cases as well as the cross-case analysis provided a detailed picture of five teachers' personal practical knowledge and their perceptions of how their personal practical knowledge influenced their decision making, classroom environment, and interpersonal relationships. Overarching themes that emerged included role clarity, professional commitment, curriculum conception, and past experiences.The findings of this study have implications for teachers' attitudes about young adolescents, for further inquiry into effectiveness of teaching strategies, for research about the influence of school context on teachers' lives, and for continued study of teacher development and teacher knowledge. Within each of those areas, authors discuss implications for classroom teachers and teacher educators and pose questions for further study.