| Abstract: | The concept of bricolage, as it is developed by Levi‐Strauss, is useful in characterising the form of teachers’ work, it subsumes extensive research on the form of teachers’ work and provides a heuristic device for developing causal explanations of the form of teachers’ work as well as drawing together and unifying explanations developed in the literature. This assists and informs interventions to promote progressive pedagogy. The paper begins with an account of bricolage and its relationship to a science of pedagogy. Next, features of teachers’ work which push it towards bricolage are discussed, viz. conservatism, limited creativity, repertoire enlargement, teachers’ use of theory, the use of devious means, and ad hocism. Causal explanations of various of these features are discussed, viz. anticipatory socialisation, aspects of preservice teacher education experiences and constraints in the work situation. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for teacher education of taking seriously the suggestion that teachers’ work is bricolage and taking seriously the associated causal explanations. It is argued that a critical starting point for progressive change in educational practice is the provision of inservice for tertiary educators who may themselves be bricoleurs. Without this, the significant necessary changes to preservice students’ on‐campus and within school experiences are unlikely to be supported or legitimated. |
