The experiences of a professional community: teachers developing a new image of themselves and their workplace

Abstract

[Summary]: This paper presents a study of a secondary school in Queensland, Australia involved in an innovative change process called IDEAS (Innovative Design for Enhancing Achievement in Schools). This process of change centres on the action of teachers in classrooms rather than change in organisational structures. Our main findings illustrate how a group of teachers created a professional community though their participation in the process. We found that shared understanding developed through professional learning can impact on action in the classroom. However, the sustainability of this action within the organisation will depend on the established professional community’s ability to create a broader ‘school-wide’ understanding of these new relationships. It will also require developing a new image of teacher, student and their workplace. Through their development of this image, the teachers are in the process of creating a school for students of the 21st century, in line with their vision.