Veteran and novice teachers' reflective inquiry in collaborative planning

Collaborative reflective inquiry in teacher communities of practice (CoP) supports their professional learning. However, the model of CoP entails at least three limitations and challenges for teacher learning: novice teachers can seldom act as legitimate peripheral participants; veterans' learning is neglected; and power dynamics between veteran and novices may constrain the group's reflective inquiry and, consequently, its learning. In this case-study, we explore the dynamics between veteran and novice science teachers in a collaborative planning session in a science professional development community and their implications for the group's reflective inquiry. We use linguistic ethnographic micro-analytic methods to analyze audio and video recordings of the session. The findings demonstrate how in a collaborative planning context, legitimate peripheral participation is afforded, moderating face threats and thus supporting learning for both novice and veteran teachers. The study highlights the unique affordances of collaborative planning for science teachers' reflective inquiry, advancing our understanding of the social dimension of teachers' learning. This study contributes to the fields of teacher learning in CoPs, teacher planning and elementary science teacher learning.