University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education Education 5-2016 Teacher Stories, Parent Stories, Stories of School: Educator/Parents Navigating School Landscapes Jennifer C. Nelson University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/teachlearnstudent Part of the Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons Nelson, Jennifer C., "Teacher Stories, Parent Stories, Stories of School: Educator/Parents Navigating School Landscapes" (2016). Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. 65. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/teachlearnstudent/65 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Student Research, and Creative Activity: Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. TEACHER STORIES, PARENT STORIES, STORIES OF SCHOOL: EDUCATOR/PARENTS NAVIGATING SCHOOL LANDSCAPES by Jennifer C. Nelson A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major: Educational Studies Under the Supervision of Professor Elaine Chan Lincoln, Nebraska May, 2016 TEACHER STORIES, PARENT STORIES, STORIES OF SCHOOL: EDUCATOR/PARENTS NAVIGATING SCHOOL LANDSCAPES Jennifer Christine Nelson, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2016 Advisor: Elaine Chan Situated within this narrative inquiry are four parents, who are also educators, negotiating their teacher/parent identities while examining their praxis within their classrooms. Educators, who are also parents, have a unique position within education. They have a personal, practical, professional knowledge of schools—and a personal, practical knowledge of their children. In the process of juxtaposing these parent stories of teaching and learning with their own child(ren) alongside their teacher stories of teaching and learning with their students, various curricular practices are called into question. It is the personalized stories that often bring silenced voices to the forefront; thus, the researcher draws on narrative inquiry as a means for the participants to reveal tensions and complexities of negotiating the dual roles of being both parent and teacher upon the school landscape. The educator/parent narratives, composed over eight months, reveal common themes of tension concerning: 1) challenges of implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum in relation to high-stakes standardized testing; 2) tensions experienced surrounding various school and district policies; and, 3) challenges of navigating relational complexities within the current climate of high-stakes standardized testing. Permeating throughout these educator/parent narratives are examples of the tensions the participants experienced as a result of educational policies that did not seem to take into account these educator/parents’ personal, practical, and professional knowledge. The participants’ voices illustrated time and again, ways in which they believed they were silenced, marginalized, and/or ignored; these incidents, in turn, contributed to feelings of frustration and disempowerment. The educator/parents in this study continue to live on uneasy school landscapes, where they feel their pedagogical competence is undermined, and their voice and agency is often thwarted in this high stakes-testing, policy driven climate. This research study contributes to the field by providing a glimpse into educator/parent knowledge to inform our understanding of teacher knowledge. Acknowledgements This study has only been possible through the assistance of many individuals who have supported me in my teaching, learning, researching, and writing during this educational journey. I am grateful to Dr. Elaine Chan for her guidance as my professor, advisor, and mentor. This dissertation would not have been completed without her steadfast advice and support of my writing and research. I will forever be grateful for her time, wisdom, patience, and friendship. My heartfelt thanks go to my educator/parent research participants: Meredith Michaels, Gwen Franklin, Kara Peterson, Rebecca Roberts, and Pamela Worth. This study would not have been possible without your willing participation, time, and honest conversation. Thank you for sharing your experiences with me. Your personal and professional knowledge as parents and educators has been invaluable to the inquiry process of exploring of the complexities of what it means to be an educator/parent. I greatly appreciate the Deweyan scholarship of Dr. Margaret Macintyre Latta, who challenged me to think in new ways and whose care and guidance has forever left an impact on my thinking about teaching and learning. My gratitude is extended to my distinguished doctoral committee members: Dr. Larry Dlugosh, Dr. Ted Hamann, and Dr. Jenelle Reeves. Thank you for sharing your perspectives and expertise on education through your coursework and valuable feedback. I am also thankful for the feedback given to me over the years by the Saturday Writing Seminar members as well as the encouragement and assistance provided by those involved with the AERA Narrative Inquiry Doctoral Seminar Sessions. Thank you to my friends and colleagues who have been encouraging and supportive of my educational journey. I will always be indebted to my parents, Pete and Portia Becker, for their unfailing belief in me as a scholar, teacher, and mother. They, and my siblings, Peter Becker and Melissa Prasch, have taught me a lifetime of lessons about the importance of caring, the desire to make a difference in the lives of others, and the power of family. I am thankful for Laura Eberly who cared for my children when I could not be there. The patience, creativity, and love you showed them will forever be treasured and remembered. For Grace, Emily, and Porter Nelson for being the loves of my life and the inspiration for this research. You are the “suns around which I orbit my world” (Alexie, 2007, p. 11), and I hope you always find joy in learning. Finally, for Dann Nelson, my faithful partner in love and in life. I cannot thank you enough for your unwavering support and belief in me. My life with you and our children is my most educative experience. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Statement of the Problem 3 Theoretical Framework 5 Purpose of the Study 9 Research Questions 9 Significance of the Study 10 Chapter 2: Review of Literature 13 Parent Involvement versus Parent Engagement 13 Funds of Knowledge 16 Funds of Knowledge as Personal 16 Funds of Knowledge as Practical 17 Funds of Knowledge as Professional and Craft 19 Funds of Knowledge of Children, Teaching, and Learning 22 A Pedagogy of Relations 24 Chapter 3: Methodology 29 Approach to Inquiry 29 Research Methods 33 Role of Researcher 38 Context and Limitations 42 Data Collection 44 Data Analysis 46 Honoring Original and Organic Voices 48 Chapter 4: Meredith Michaels 50 “You Will Not Believe the Morning I’ve Had!” 50 NeSA Testing Guidelines 56 More Than a Classroom Teacher 59 A Visit to Meredith’s Classroom 63 How Being a Parent Shaped Meredith’s Teaching and Learning 68 Chapter 5: Gwen Franklin 77 A Glimpse into Mrs. Franklin’s Colorful Classroom 77 “You Lie”: The Simile Lesson Created by Gwen 87 Navigating Curriculum, Navigating Relationships 90 The ‘Make A Difference’ Project 101 Chapter 6: Kara Peterson 113 “A Wasted Year” 113 Using Communication to Navigate the Educator/Parent Landscape 120 Addison and The Kindergarten Readiness Policy 125 Chapter 7: Rebecca Roberts 135 Rewards and Tensions: Teaching at the Same School Your Children Attend 135 Not Wanting to Step on Toes 143 Learning How to Be a Parent Upon the School Landscape 147 Being a Parent Puts a Different Perspective on School 149 A Guiding Principle: How Would I Want my Child Treated? 156 Insights on Curriculum 158 Lingering Questions 167 Chapter 8: Discussion: “Tensions and Disregarded Voices” 172 Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum/Too Much Testing 176 Educational Policy Influences on Curricula 180 Tensions Surrounding School District Policies 185 Challenges of Navigating Relational Complexities 187 Reflections on Teacher Conversations 192 Defining Moments 194 Chapter 9: Concluding Thoughts 197 Being Pulled Up Short 199 Tensions, Silencing, and Lived Consequences 203 References 210 Appendices 221 1 CHAPTER 1 Introduction As I looked over Grace and Emily’s report cards from the second quarter of their kindergarten year, I was troubled by how little the report cards told me as a parent. My twin girls had been attending kindergarten for half of the school year and all I could gather from their report cards were a series of “3’s = Meets district standards”, and “4’s = Exceeds district standards”, as well as a handful of canned comments. Some of the comments were generalized and included: “Grace is able to work and play well with others”; “Emily is an engaged listener and participates in class discussions!” Other comments were more specific: “Grace is able to identify two and three dimensional shapes and writes numbers to 19”; and “Emily is