Open Collections

Learning by he/art

University of British Columbia

My work emerged out of my taking an opportunity, after 15 years of teaching secondary school, to think in depth about my life and practice. As teachers, we are used to gathering elements from all around us to make up the ideas, methods, and materials with which we teach. The creation of this thesis has come about in much the same way. Rather than strict adherence to a single methodology, or voice, I have pulled from a host of tools. A/r/tography (Irwin, Stephenson, Robertson, & Reynolds, 2001), reflective practice, poetic inquiry, and creative nonfiction are all terms that fit this work. Instead of a singular adherence to one theory or practice, I have employed a process that exists in and among the spaces between the roles of artist, researcher, and teacher. Much of my process has been unstructured and nonsystematic. I have created, researched, and reflected in the midst of the moments, as life is lived. I have been developing, as I have gone along, appreciation for those elements that bring meaning to my work and to my life at this time. Through this work I have found inspiration and the capacity to continue teaching with enthusiasm and heart. Telling our stories holds keys to living with sensitivity, compassion, and vision in a world that so very much needs all three.

Text

2011-04-15

Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/33661

Literacy Education

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/