Wee Pod Questions for Week 9

Wee Pod 6: Allie, Benay, & Oscar

Based on “Developing a Theory of Ambitious Early-Career Teacher Practice” article

The age of the pre-service teacher seems relevant here as well. Older teachers can use their
life experiences to add texture to the development of their critical pedagogical discourse.
Does the age of a pre-service teacher, like the early development of critical pedagogical
discourses and pedagogically coherent practices help provide a buffer against conservative
contextual discourses? What other factors similarly provide buffers against conservative
contextual discourses?

In the reading, the researchers conveyed the ideal that novice teachers are able to achieve a
level of understanding/shared language with the students that does not come as easily to
more experienced teachers. Why are novice teachers able to develop a greater connection
across concepts than more experienced educators? Is it possible that ambitious practices still
occur with experienced educators, but that they go unnoticed as they are considered a
reaction to previously conceived systems?

"When faced with instructionally conservative contextual discourses from her school and
district, she either chose to ignore or reshape these messages to fit with her ideas about
placing student thinking at the center of her practice" (Thompson et al, 2013, p 18).

How are teachers best able to resist status-quo messaging from conservative school
districts? How can a novice teacher best navigate implementing progressive ambitious
practices, while holding on to their job?