A time to pause and ponder

Worries about the effect of trade and globalisation on the workforce are “a staple of politics in the US and Europe” (Financial Times 2016). There would appear to be a general global movement towards isolation and protectionism (see Brexit, Trump, Putin). Europa was the battle field for conflicts tied to isolationism movements throughout the 20th century. The human deprivation that occurred during this century somehow seems forgotten. The history of Europe can however also learn us to atone: the Berlin wall went down, peace came to Northern Ireland, …
This joint presentation will with inspiration from Viktor Frankl (2004) offer examples of ways to help student teachers, teachers and teacher educators to develop practices where they can guide and assist the realisation of possibilities for meaning-making in an apparently meaningless world.
Christopher Spencer (University of Bolton UK [email protected]) will build on his work with teacher educators, self-reflection as professional development and practice (Spencer, 2015). This study considers how to maintain and continue to develop professional skills and knowledge, where teacher educators systematically reflect on among other things their own practice and learning, a philosophy of teaching and learning that is continuously reviewed, a deepening understanding of research and practice, and life experiences significance to teaching and learning.
Peer Daugbjerg (VIA UC, DK [email protected]) will draw on his work on teacher-students performing narrative investigation, placing experience at the centre of research and reflection (Daugbjerg, 2016). The students are to study Danish youth folk high schools through narrative inquiry. The intention is to create coherent narratives of the participants and their everyday. The presentation will introduce the instruction given to the students and present some of the generated narratives.

The presentation will invite to joint reflection on the possibilities for meaning-making in teacher education and practice.

References:
Daugbjerg P., 2016: “Preservice teachers working with narrative inquiry” (presentation to the ‘Reflective Learning and Teaching for Thinking’ TIG @ ETEN 2016 (https://www.ucviden.dk/portal/da/activities/preservice-teachers-working-with-narrative-inquiry(03a5e643-2d4f-4408-9abb-897ad31cbc6c).html)
Frankl V., 2014: Man's search for meaning, Beacon Press.
Spencer, C. (2015): “Teacher Educator, Go Measure Thyself: Self-Reflection and Judgement of the Teachers of Teachers” (presentation to the ‘Reflective Learning and Teaching for Thinking’ TIG @ ETEN 2015 http://www.jeten-online.org/index.php/jeten/article/view/91/116