ABSTRACT
This chapter advances the central argument of this book that improvisation is a fundamental aspect of teaching and that the concept of the improvising teacher provides a model, a prototype, of advanced professional practice. The central tenet that emerges from the research, and which is at the heart of the grounded theory of teacher expertise, is that the development of expertise is a journey and not an end state. The development of expertise is the consequence of an on-going adaptive process that is based on continual reflection and the improvement of practice. This process occurs over long periods of time as the accumulation of experience and expertise provides the basis of an informed understanding of improvisational practice. Consequently, there is a need to view professional development towards expertise as a long-term project. Drawing on literature, the research findings and the author's professional experience, this chapter addresses three issues that are pertinent to viewing professional development as a long-term process. To begin with there is the issue of what kind of professional practice and professionalism is being envisaged. Following on from this is the question of what a framework for the long-term professional development of teachers look like. The chapter concludes by conceptualising the disposition (the mindset) and the skills that provide the foundations for an informed understanding of teacher improvisation.
