Narrative inquiry about teaching practice has not always been viewed as a valid and respected aspect of teacher research. However, in this article, Debra Murphy shares how a focus on practice can and should be situated within the broader, field-focused conversation on approaches to teacher research. For over 20 years, she has based her community college teaching on the communities of practice theory (Jimenez-Silva & Olsen 2012), which has guided her use of an inquiry stance. Indeed, inquiry is at the heart of teacher research. When done with intention and reflection, it spurs positive growth and change in teachers’ practices and settings.

Murphy uses narrative inquiry to share what happened when she asked herself, “How does engaging in a community of practice impact students’ perceptions of themselves as knowledgeable and capable teaching professionals? In other words, how can I create a learning environment where students in an early childhood teacher preparation program feel smart?” To help answer this, she designed an assignment that required students to create presentations and workshops for colleagues and stakeholders based on the field-based research they conducted as a part of their teacher research projects.

Each of Murphy’s coauthors—Emmy Mayhew, Gina Ferreira, Kalyani Clarke, Breanne Alise Kelly, and Kate LaFrance—engaged in inquiry as stance (Cochran-Smith & Lytle 2001). Their narratives underscore the value of this approach and its place in the field. By telling their stories of inquiry, they impact their own professional development and others’.

These early childhood educators hold critical information about educating young children and cover a range of pedagogical topics that include incorporating puppetry, taking activities outside, fostering communication, the importance of reading, and spreading awareness about agenesis of the corpus callosum. The process they undertook, from topic selection to presentation, allowed them to systematically gather, analyze, and apply information, thus finding meaning and answers through their intentional approaches and actions (Cochran-Smith & Lytle 1993; Henderson et al. 2021).

Inspired by the authors, I propose that this article can be used to expand our understanding of teaching and learning by focusing on how it helps bridge the gap between empirical research and inquiry as stance (Cochran-Smith & Lytle 2009). I invite you to think about this article as an opportunity to consider what teacher research can entail in your setting.

Photographs: courtesy of the authors
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References

Cochran-Smith, M., & S.L. Lytle. 1993. Inside/Outside: Teacher Research and Knowledge. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Cochran-Smith, M., & S.L. Lytle. 2001. “Beyond Certainty: Taking an Inquiry Stance on Practice.” In Teachers Caught in the Action: Professional Development That Matters, eds. A. Lieberman & L. Miller, 45–58. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Cochran-Smith, M., & S.L. Lytle. 2009. Inquiry as Stance: Practitioner Research for the Next Generation. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Henderson, B., D.R. Meier, G. Perry, & A.J. Stremmel. 2012. “The Nature of Teacher Research.” Voices of Practitioners 7 (1): 1–7.

Jimenez-Silva, M., & K. Olsen. 2012. “A Community of Practice in Teacher Education: Insights and Perceptions.” International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 24 (3): 335–48.