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ERIC Number: ED465747
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2002-Apr
Pages: 39
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Developing a Positive Relationship to the Uncertainties of Teaching.
Helsing, Deborah
This study explores how a teacher makes sense of the uncertainties of the practice, situating teacher uncertainty in the field of teacher learning, knowledge, and decision making. Data collection involved two semi-structured, open-ended interviews that elicited narratives about one teacher's experiences with uncertainty. The teacher interviewed reflects on, interprets, and makes links across the narratives. The findings from the interview indicate uncertainty is experienced when making teacher decisions and deciding what the best decision to make is. Uncertainty relating to in-the-moment decisions, is distinguished from interactions with students, assessments, and anxiety associated with longer-term, preparatory decisions and plans. Four interelated components of uncertainty became evident through the study's findings as well: uncertainty as linked to personal history; uncertainty as a developmental construct; uncertainty in connected knowing; and cultural de-valuing of connected knowing and uncertainty. While these components relate specifically to one teacher's experience of uncertainty and multidimensional experience of confusion in decision making, the study found that believing in one's own confidence and assurance in decision making grows as more teaching experience is gained, and hope evolves that the anxiety associated with long-term planning will diminish. Furthermore, the value of one's uncertainties can then be recognized. (Contains 43 references.) (SM)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A