In Samaras’ article about teacher research and data collecting, Stefinee Pinnegar (p.178) gives advice as a self-study scholar. She highlights the importance of finding the space between the self and the other when collecting data. This space happens in the midst of practice – between the thoughts and actions of the teacher and the experiences of the student. It is in the tension of this space that we grow and “construct…trustworthy accounts of our practice.”
This idea of “a space between” resonates with the metaphor of the mirror that we used in class to help understand learning communities. The mirror allows many views of self. Some are singular and other views are within the context of the room and people within it. The binary opposites of “self” and “other” lie on either ends of this viewing continuum. Our metaphor attempts to point out that fixating on one opposition or the other does little to create a healthy, collaborative community. Somewhere along this continuum, “practice grows in the space between self and other”. (Stefinee Pinnegar)
Kieran Egan, in his book “Teaching as Storytelling” introduces the idea of “seeking a mediation between our binary organizers”(p.52). He uses an example of a community experiencing a conflict between survival and destruction. Here Egan explains that “the community lives in the balance of survival/destruction”. There is a “dynamic conflict” that is necessary for life. It lies somewhere between these binary oppositions.
Similarly, I would suggest that our learning communities are not examples of binary opposites. There should be a healthy tension between the two that is continuously nurtured and valued. As members of the community, we should be open to allowing our understandings to grow beyond what we see in our own reflections. Our perception of self – our ideas and opinions – should be valued and considered in light of the community as a whole. Living well in this mediated spaced involves listening to others and being open to change and renewal. Or as Laura Selvage points out, it may require “connecting through open-ended reflective dialogue with our own diverse but generally well-intentioned beliefs and understanding about what it means to educate students.” (“Making Space for Critical Reflection in Professional Learning Communities”)