Born not made: the nativist myth and teachers' thinking

摘要

In this article the authors explore the possible origins of nativist myths about teaching expertise in the cultural and organisational context of teaching. They propose that the cultural preference for explanations for human behaviour that are based on personal dispositions conceived of as entities, combined with the opaque nature of teaching expertise, predispose teachers to the belief that ability as a teacher is inborn. They explore the consequences of this belief for professional development, especially development that involves the acceptance of expertise that arises outside the teaching profession. They contrast this with the consequences of a model in which professional expertise is understood as a fluid and 'unstable' process.