Muraling the invisible strings: Collective memory work from an educator inquiry group

• Main Author: Margaret Clark
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Journal of Childhood, Education and Society 2020-02-01
• Series: Journal of Childhood, Education & Society
• Subjects: childhood; early schooling; collective memory work; professional development; teacher education
• Online Access: https://www.j-ces.com/index.php/jces/article/view/27

In this qualitative study of a year-long educator inquiry workshop, nine early childhood educators engaged in the process of collective memory work to critically reflect on how their past experiences as young learners relates to their current teaching practices. Through an iterative analysis of the participants’ discussions and writings, this paper highlights how a group of educators shifted their way of thinking about teaching from a series of damage-based memories of restrictive learning environments towards a focus on desire-based stories of transformational and expansive learning experiences. For this group of teachers, this shift became an essential component to identifying how they could begin to work to create liberatory learning experiences and spaces for all students.