This article was published in Teaching and Teacher Education, Vol 26, Issue 3, Author(s): Rick A. Breault, “Distilling Wisdom From Practice: Finding Meaning In PDS Stories“, Pages 399-407, Copyright Elsevier (April 2010).
Much of what has been written about the Professional Development School (PDS) experience consists of recounting personal experiences. However, these accounts often offer little to readers since they are neither good research nor good storytelling.
In this article, the author draws on mythology, folklore, psychology and literature. The author suggests that effective storytelling can serve the same function in nurturing PDS culture as it does in the maintenance of culture in general.
After identifying potential story elements in the PDS experience, the author proposes ways in which to borrow from various literary genres to create PDS stories that are more engaging and meaningful.