An integration of collaborative autobiography and peer supervision to improve instruction in adult education

Abstract

This creative project used collaborative autobiography, where two teachers shared their professional life histories, in order to identify individual agendas for professional development, build mutual understanding and a trusting working relationship. The common professional interests identified from these life stories served as a basis for a professional development project which used peer supervision as a means of improving the teaching of English to adult native students. This creative project documents the project which involved the study of a play through dramatic expression. Chapter one of the creative project includes a literature review of collaborative autobiography and peer supervision and presents an argument for the integration of these two methods of teacher development. The second chapter describes the methods and procedures of the collaborative creative project. Chapters three and four include the two teachers life stories. The fifth chapter summarizes the professional concerns. Chapter six includes a daily account of the collaborative project. The formal evaluations of the drama unit are discussed in chapter seven. A summary of the peer supervision activities is included in chapter eight. Chapter nine includes a detailed analysis of the student and teacher responses to the summative evaluations. The collaborative project is concluded with a summary in chapter ten.