Search

Artefacts can evoke stories. This article explores the use of artefacts in narrative pedagogies in the context of teachers' professional development during the induction phase. The research question is: What kind of stories about beginning teachers' work does the use of artefacts in narrative pedagogies evoke? The article is based on two peer group meetings in which nine Finnish teachers working in day care centres and primary schools participated. The findings illustrate how the use of artefacts offers an entrance into teachers' daily routines, relationships and practices as well as how artefacts can become important actors in teachers' classrooms. This article contributes to the emerging literature on the meaning of artefacts in educational practices and beginning teachers' professional development. Additionally, the article contributes to the still not fully recognised potential that artefacts can have in narrative pedagogies in pre-service and in-service teacher education.

This article examines emotionally challenging expectations in the relationships beginning teachers have with students' parents. The data consist of narrative interviews with 17 Japanese beginning teachers. Due to strong cultural and social norms prescribing appropriate social interactions, Japanese teachers have little leeway in negotiating parents' expectations. We found that beginning teachers described facing three emotionally challenging expectations in their relationships with students' parents: 1) they do not fully understand what is expected of them; 2) they are expected to turn to colleagues for help with difficult issues involving parents; and 3) they are expected to endure and learn from criticism. To cope with these emotionally challenging expectations, beginning teachers perform emotional labour. The article presents a wider understanding of teachers' work as a relational practice and offers insights that can be used to move beyond the discourse that frames beginning teachers from a 'deficit' perspective.

The article discusses parent-teacher relationships in school micropolitics based on beginning teachers' stories. We employ a narrative approach and investigate how micropolitical conditions and strategies are portrayed in beginning teachers' stories of parent-teacher relationships. The research material consists of narrative interviews with seven Finnish primary school teachers in the first and second years of their careers. The findings indicate that micropolitical processes play a part in constructing parent-teacher relationships. These micropolitics both enable and limit these relationships and influence how beginning teachers learn to cope with parent relationships. The findings reveal various micropolitical strategies that beginning teachers use to enact and construct parent-teacher relationships. Furthermore, the findings show that parent-teacher relationships do not necessarily include just parents and teachers, but are multidimensional, encompassing several intertwined relationships that micropolitically condition parent-teacher relationships. The implications for pre- and in-service teacher education and school leaders are considered.

Recent research has acknowledged the importance of the relationships of school principals with beginning teachers. However, little is known about how emotions inform these relationships from the beginning teacher's side. Applying the concept of emotional geographies, this paper explores the kinds of storied emotional distances that appear in the relationships between beginning teachers and their principals. Based on interviews with beginning Japanese teachers, the results indicate that such relationships may be: (1) very direct and personal; (2) acted out indirectly by the principal as personal facilitator "behind the scenes" or as public gatekeeper; or (3) mediated by the teacher community. The analysis reveals beginning teachers' personal experiences of these relationships, as well as how such relationships are influenced by organisational and cultural context. Although principals are described as distant figures within the school organisation, they are seen to play an important role in facilitating beginning teachers' work by connecting with them at a personal level and providing good working conditions by influencing the emotional atmosphere of the teacher community or by sheltering them from parental pressure.

Artefacts can evoke stories. This article explores the use of artefacts in narrative pedagogies in the context of teachers' professional development during the induction phase. The research question is: What kind of stories about beginning teachers' work does the use of artefacts in narrative pedagogies evoke? The article is based on two peer group meetings in which nine Finnish teachers working in day care centres and primary schools participated. The findings illustrate how the use of artefacts offers an entrance into teachers' daily routines, relationships and practices as well as how artefacts can become important actors in teachers' classrooms. This article contributes to the emerging literature on the meaning of artefacts in educational practices and beginning teachers' professional development. Additionally, the article contributes to the still not fully recognised potential that artefacts can have in narrative pedagogies in pre-service and in-service teacher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses parent–teacher relationships in school micropolitics based on beginning teachers' stories. We employ a narrative approach and investigate how micropolitical conditions and strategies are portrayed in beginning teachers' stories of parent–teacher relationships. The research material consists of narrative interviews with seven Finnish primary school teachers in the first and second years of their careers. The findings indicate that micropolitical processes play a part in constructing parent–teacher relationships. These micropolitics both enable and limit these relationships and influence how beginning teachers learn to cope with parent relationships. The findings reveal various micropolitical strategies that beginning teachers use to enact and construct parent–teacher relationships. Furthermore, the findings show that parent–teacher relationships do not necessarily include just parents and teachers, but are multidimensional, encompassing several intertwined relationships that micropolitically condition parent–teacher relationships. The implications for pre- and in-service teacher education and school leaders are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines emotionally challenging expectations in the relationships beginning teachers have with students' parents. The data consist of narrative interviews with 17 Japanese beginning teachers. Due to strong cultural and social norms prescribing appropriate social interactions, Japanese teachers have little leeway in negotiating parents' expectations. We found that beginning teachers described facing three emotionally challenging expectations in their relationships with students' parents: 1) they do not fully understand what is expected of them; 2) they are expected to turn to colleagues for help with difficult issues involving parents; and 3) they are expected to endure and learn from criticism. To cope with these emotionally challenging expectations, beginning teachers perform emotional labour. The article presents a wider understanding of teachers' work as a relational practice and offers insights that can be used to move beyond the discourse that frames beginning teachers from a 'deficit' perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to theoretical discussions about beginning teachers’ work being both relational and emotional. Specifically, we have examined the tensions that frequently characterise the relationships between beginning and senior teachers. Our research material consisted of narrative interviews with seven beginning teachers and seven senior teachers working at the same junior high school in Japan. Through thematic analysis, we have identified three categories of tensions: (1) tension between dependence and independence, (2) tension between obedience and assertiveness and (3) tension between loyalty to one’s students and loyalty to one’s colleagues. These tensions are meaningful for both beginning and senior teachers, but they view them in different ways and connect them to different expectations regarding appropriate actions and attitudes. These tensions are also related to wider cultural expectations and general principles that are often concretely realised through different practices within the micropolitical environment of a school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has acknowledged the importance of the relationships of school principals with beginning teachers. However, little is known about how emotions inform these relationships from the beginning teacher's side. Applying the concept of emotional geographies, this paper explores the kinds of storied emotional distances that appear in the relationships between beginning teachers and their principals. Based on interviews with beginning Japanese teachers, the results indicate that such relationships may be: (1) very direct and personal; (2) acted out indirectly by the principal as personal facilitator 'behind the scenes' or as public gatekeeper; or (3) mediated by the teacher community. The analysis reveals beginning teachers' personal experiences of these relationships, as well as how such relationships are influenced by organisational and cultural context. Although principals are described as distant figures within the school organisation, they are seen to play an important role in facilitating beginning teachers' work by connecting with them at a personal level and providing good working conditions by influencing the emotional atmosphere of the teacher community or by sheltering them from parental pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]