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Opening The Classroom Doors: Stories Of English Teachers' Experiences With Three Eras Of Educational Reform, Kelli Sowerbrower

Middle and Secondary Education Dissertations

This study examined what has largely been overlooked in educational research: What happens to educational reforms in teachers’ classrooms when they shut the door and teach? Few researchers have talked with teachers to understand their experiences with educational reforms. I framed this narrative inquiry in sociocultural theories of culture (Bruner, 1996; Cole, 1996; Smagorinsky, 2001; Vygotsky, 1978) and experience (Dewey, 1938/1997) to provide lenses for understanding the history, setting, activities, and artifacts that informed how veteran teachers taught during different eras of reform. The participants were three English teachers who started teaching shortly before significant moments in educational reform began …