ABSTRACT
Although most people tend to see theories as the domain of “experts” and academic researchers, in fact everyone has theories. Frank Smith (1978) says theories help us generalize our experiences, make sense of new things and learn more about the world. Teachers have theories, for example, about how students learn that they’ve developed through their own learning, their training and experience with students’ successes and failures. Teachers’ theories are modified through professional development, discussions with colleagues, reading about their subject areas and ongoing experience. The kinds of theories that make sense to teachers depend a lot on their personal values and attitudes, the sociocultural values of the times, their colleagues and workplace and their access to professional development and reading. Academic theories and research have similar influences.
