UNTANGLING A TEACHER'S STORY THROUGH HEURISTIC INQUIRY: A LIFE PROJECT

Abstract

This dissertation examines the professional and personal growth of a teacher after he became frustrated and burned out after a successful career in education and in ministry. By looking through 15 years of data (notebooks, journals, lesson plans, books, etc.), I examine the professional pressures that I have faced working in the field of education. I also examine some of the personal pressures that I faced. The impact of these pressures on my professional and personal life is discussed. In explaining "How I grow professionally and personally as an English/Language Arts professional," I use storytelling and personal narrative. As a qualitative study, the six stages of heuristic inquiry are used to explore my professional and personal growth: initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. This dissertation explores how I use the themes of reflecting, wondering, building relationships, writing, and teaching in order to grow professionally and personally. While the research of this inquiry is unique to me and my story, other teachers and professionals may be able to extrapolate ideas for their own lives based on this research.