| This study was conducted within a sociocultural framework and viewed beginning teachers instruction through the lens of teaching writing. The research is in response to a national call for more focused attention on teaching writing in elementary schools, work in urban schools, and research on teacher knowledge and beginning teachers. The research question was: What influences beginning teachers in an urban setting as they translate and implement a particular aspect of their writing curriculum into practice? Sub questions were designed to probe into teachers' knowledge sources by drawing on their understanding of writing curriculum and through observation of their evolving practice. These questions were: What knowledge sources do these teachers draw on? What contextual factors influence their instructional decisions? How do they manage the various knowledge sources and aspects of their context?; To address these questions, three beginning teachers were observed and interviewed across one school year. The focus of the interviews and observations was on writing instruction. Some observations were videotaped and followed by viewing sessions, where each teacher explained the knowledge sources and other factors that influenced the writing instruction during that particular lesson. Interviews were conducted before and after the study as well as once around the materials that each teacher used to teach writing. Field notes were maintained across the year as well.; Analysis focused on determining how each teacher thought about and made instructional decisions for teaching writing. Findings revealed that these teachers drew from a range of knowledge sources, and that contextual factors inherent in teaching also influenced teachers' instructional decisions. These factors included the policy environment, school, community, students, colleagues, materials, teaching tools and the teacher's own identity. Further, this research suggests that teachers learn to teach writing by finding ways to work successfully within their unique teaching context. Teachers acquiesce, accommodate, resist policy as they try to balance, navigate, and juggle their teaching contexts; they eventually learn to finesse their teaching contexts as teaching practices evolve.; Implications emerged from this study that focus attention on teacher preparation, induction, and professional development. Beginning teachers are supported in various ways and with different amounts of support as they try to determine how to navigate teaching contexts. Systems of support already in place may need to provide additional attention to issues of teaching context in order to best support the development of beginning teachers. |
