IDENTIFIERS *Life History Method; Personal Experiences

This life history explored the history and evolution of one urban high school English teacher's beliefs about literacy and how those beliefs shaped her teaching practice. Data collection included classroom observations; formal interviews with the teacher (Anna); individual conversations with Anna and her friends, colleagues, and family; other interactions conducted over time; academic papers on literacy and teaching Anna had written for college courses; and professional documents. The life history shows how Anna's beliefs fell into two broad categories. First, there were temporary beliefs that arose primarily through her childhood experiences in school and university experiences as a preservice teacher. These beliefs proved dysfunctional when she tried to put them into practice, so she abandoned them. Second, there were long-standing beliefs that were generally rooted in her personal life experiences which transcended school. These beliefs were the very essence of who she was as a person and were immutable to change. Over time, her teaching practices changed, evolving from teacher-controlled to learner-centered. Results illustrate the tremendous complexity and contextualized nature of teacher thinking, emphasizing that being a teacher involves not only mastering a set of skills, but also developing an inner awareness. (Contains 65 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document