Listening closely to female teachers’ voices : Examining female elementary teachers life-history interviews

In this paper, we tried to listen carefully to female teachers\u27voices in order to value the women\u27s work and provide women\u27s voice with authenticity. First, .we developed a theoretical framework. In studies Teachers\u27voices, especially women\u27s voices and narratives have been silenced, however studies on teachers\u27voices and narratives are forming a part of category in the educational research. These studies provide authenticity for teachers\u27viewpoint and voice. Additionally, studies on female teachers\u27voices related to women\u27s ways of thinking and feminine values through the concepts of “ care” and “maternity.” We explored the lifehistory narratives of 12 female elementary school teachers and focused on their experience of “ keeping pace with other samegrade teachers. ” The earlier literatures negatively evaluated the school culture in which teachers cooperated with other teachers, because this was considered to prevent teachers from putting creative activities into practice. However, from the female teachers\u27narratives, we learned that female teachers do care for their students, students\u27guardians, and their own colleagues. We also learned how female teachers relate to their colleagues and their students\u27guardians: the teachers care for and educate all ‘ their children’, and they take collective responsibility for their students