Making Sense of Self, Stories, and Society: An Analysis of English Teachers' Experiences with the Common Core Regarding Fiction and Nonfiction

Thesis advisor: Dennis ShirleySince 2010, many states in America have implemented the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Yet there is a gap in the research when it comes to ELA teachers’ experiences with the CCSS. This dissertation uses narrative thematic analysis (Reissman, 2008) to explore how eight public school, grade 6-12 ELA teachers make sense of the CCSS. The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute a more complex picture of how educators make sense of national policy in light of their curricular choices, motivations for teaching, and their beliefs about the purposes of ELA education. Narrative thematic analysis revealed that the eight teachers in this study have conflicting views about the CCSS and its impact on their teaching and beliefs. Many of the teachers described significant worry regarding the CCSS during their initial involvement. However, as time progressed, teachers described a growing sense of excitement about the CCSS. Issues such as school climate, process of implementation, and amount of pressure were significant factors contributing to the teachers’ experiences. Regarding the specific shift prescribed by the CCSS towards more nonfiction in the curriculum for ELA classes, teachers discussed fear, confusion, and, eventually, enthusiasm as responses to this initiative. An outlier among the data set described feelings of loss and sadness regarding creative content that was lost due to the CCSS. In concert with narrative thematic analysis (Reissman, 2008) I utilized the conceptual framework of sensemaking theory (Weick, 1995; 2005), to contextualize the stories teachers shared in this study. Social and relational emphases emerged as dominant ways teachers made sense of their work and their responses to the CCSS. Experiences with the CCSS are far more complex than typically reported. More inclusion of teacher voices and experiences has immense power to shape future policy and implementation. Additionally, inclusion of teacher narratives can significantly contribute to the research on creating supportive cultures and contexts in which standards and educational expectations are both created and utilized.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction