ABSTRACT
Learning to teach is a complex process of constructing and reconstructing knowledge in practice that involves combining knowledge for practice acquired in a preservice teacher preparation program, knowledge of subject matter, and knowledge of students in making decisions about how to best facilitate learning. This process can be labor intensive, tedious, and time consuming; however, it can be facilitated through reflective collaboration among teachers in a learning community. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the journey of teachers in a learning community focused on improving literacy acquisition and development for children in kindergarten through fourth grade at three low performing urban schools. This discussion will describe the ideology that guided teaching practices at the beginning of the journey, the transformation of this ideology, changes in the relationship among teachers, the systemic changes in teaching practices, and fundamental changes in teachers’ understanding of the relationship among pedagogical practices, learner characteristics, and learning outcomes. These teachers’ journey exemplifies the process of constructing and reconstructing knowledge in practice, and in the final analysis learning to contextualize teaching practices for urban students.
