Resumen de Acknowledgement as a key to teacher learning
In this article I introduce the concept of ‘acknowledgement’ and explore the role which it plays in facilitating teacher learning. Acknowledgement is the validation or recognition of the teacher, which comes about when teachers have the space to present their own perceptions of their teaching without judgement. I trace the development of a teacher from resistance to transformation during a series of teacher development activities at our institute. The teacher, Faye, observed a video of herself teaching an English lesson. She then explored her teaching in a series of ‘cooperative development’ conversations. Through having the space to acknowledge herself, she gained the critical self-awareness which led to her learning. I suggest that teachers who wish to collaborate for learning purposes practise creating the non-judgemental space for acknowledgement in learning conversations.
