Elevating the Voices of Practitioners: A Meeting Place for Teacher Research, Inquiry, and Growth (Voices)
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The story of Voices of Practitioners is one of people, partnerships, and core principles that shape its purpose. From the beginning, we understood that teacher research depended on creating conditions where teachers could write, publish, and be recognized as knowledge producers within their own profession. That conviction drew on the teacher-research movement (e.g., Cochran-Smith & Lytle 1993) and on the influence of an even wider range of scholars who had long argued that authentic inquiry about educating children must begin in early learning settings, not in universities.
In this edition of Voices of Practitioners, we reflect on the publication within the context of NAEYC’s 100th anniversary. We write from the shared perspective of educators who were dedicated to this approach when little attention was being given to teachers’ own research and reflections. We highlight how Voices has been and will continue to be a vehicle for documenting the wisdom of practice, honoring teacher inquiry as a form of scholarship, and sustaining a professional community committed to reflection, collaboration, and change.
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Barbara Henderson, PhD, is the director of the doctoral program in educational leadership at San Francisco State University and a professor in elementary education with an early childhood specialization. Her research expertise is in practitioner and teacher research. She is one of the founding editors of Voices of Practitioners.
Daniel R. Meier, PhD, teaches early childhood at San Francisco State University. His research focuses on early literacy, teacher inquiry, international education, and children’s play. [email protected]