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Writing as a Method for the Self-Study of Practice pp 17–32Cite as

Pen Pals with Purpose: Letter Writing as Collaboration in Self-Study

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Part of the book series: Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices ((STEP,volume 23))

Abstract

In this chapter, we show ways that written correspondence has shaped a six-year collaboration where self-study of teacher education practices and critical friendship played central roles. In thinking about writing as method, we have come to an increased awareness of how writing has been crucial to the perceived success and survival of our collaboration, supporting knowledge construction and meaning-making of our selves-in-practice. From our analysis, we show how writing supported relationships at both personal and professional levels, was a direct contributor to research design through scaffolding our thoughts and ideas, and offered a source to take stock of work done and work to do. Our written interactions have been a mainstay of our ongoing collaboration, and we demonstrate how others might be more intentional in centralizing the writing process to enhance the richness of engagement in collaborative self-studies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

    Tim Fletcher

  2. Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland

    Déirdre Ní Chróinín

Authors
  1. Tim Fletcher
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  2. Déirdre Ní Chróinín
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Correspondence to Tim Fletcher .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Brock University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Julian Kitchen

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Fletcher, T., Ní Chróinín, D. (2021). Pen Pals with Purpose: Letter Writing as Collaboration in Self-Study. In: Kitchen, J. (eds) Writing as a Method for the Self-Study of Practice. Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices, vol 23. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2498-8_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2498-8_2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-16-2498-8

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