The rebbe reworked: an inquiry into the persistence of inherited traditions of teaching

Although research has consistently shown that culturally embedded archetypes of teaching powerfully shape the ways teachers conceive of their work and lives, it remains unclear why or how these archetypes continue to exert such influence. This paper argues that the strength of teaching archetypes might usefully be attributed to their continuing potential for translation as what MacIntyre calls not-yet-completed narratives.This claim is supported by drawing on accounts from Jewish day school teachers about their lives and work. A portrait is offered of a teacher whose image of teaching is not only grounded in an influential patriarchal archetype, it also contributes to a significant transformation of the archetype in terms of its gender and its construction of the teacher's role. The case suggests that traditions of teaching remain vital by generating new literatures of practice.