Collegial Relations between Teachers : the Creation and Transmission of a Technology of Teaching

Abstract

Research into teacher/teacher relations is comparatively limited. This thesis is an attempt to widen the horizon of the research area and to focus on some of the dimensions of informal structure and communications in the staffroom. Data from an interview schedule and participant observation is examined along with evidence from a literature survey. A history of the methodology of the research is described. The interview schedule yields data for sociometric analysis of teacher/teacher relations amongst a staff of seventy-six teachers at one school, and across three staffrooms. The results show that teachers do form groups within the staffroom and that there are certain factors guiding their choice; these include proximity, the model teacher and the shared interests of sex, age, departmental affiliation and some 'other' shared interests of less significance. The nature of teacher task-related talk is investigated by classifying topics of 'shop' talk in a framework which is developed from other studies of the teaching profession. This framework has two spectra: institutional-academic and instrumental-expressive. A total of sixteen items of teaching 'technology' are presented with the typifying data and their location in the framework. Another dimension of teacher talk is the 'fronting' which, despite the backstage arena of the staffroom, is usually maintained in order to prevent conflict amongst colleagues. Again, the typifying medium of teacher talk is used to generate a typology of ‘fronting behaviour' from primary constructs. The concluding discussion argues for further examination of the importance of the model teacher, proximity, departmental affiliation, a technology of teaching and the dramaturgical dimension. Some relevant issues in schools are suggested.