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Lessons in Contingent, Recursive Humility
Author(s) -
Vagle Mark D.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of adolescent and adult literacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1936-2706
pISSN - 1081-3004
DOI - 10.1598/jaal.54.5.6
Subject(s) - tact , humility , pedagogy , teacher education , psychology , literacy , mathematics education , sociology , political science , law , developmental psychology
In this article, the author argues that critical work in teacher education should begin with teacher educators turning a critical eye on their own practices. The author uses Lesko's conception of contingent, recursive growth and change to analyze a lesson he observed as part of a phenomenological study aimed at understanding more about what it is like to cultivate tact in teaching practice. The author discusses two sets of practical considerations for teacher educators—one centering on times teacher educators are struck by something when observing teacher candidates and the other on times teacher educators miss something. This analysis suggests that preparing critical middle grades literacy teachers demands that the teacher educator proceed with a healthy dose of contingent, recursive humility.