How to Understand Disorderly Boys - An Exchange of Didactic Experiences Among Textile-Sloyd Teachers in an Internet-based Community of Practice

Abstract

This paper reports on a case study in which a textile-sloyd teacher sent a message to an internet-based community of practice seeking advice from other textile-sloyd teachers regar­ding how to cope with unruly boys. Two major themes emerged from a interview and the discu­­ssion on the Internet: 1) behaviour analysis and 2) coping attempts The analysis also reve­­aled two themes related to the exchange of experiences: 1) descriptions of the problem as pertaining to the pupils, the process, classroom management, freedom of choice, or conne­ction to everyday life and 2) suggested solutions, such as area of activity, competences, leader­­ship and techniques. The article concludes with a discussion demonstrating that the collegial exch­ange about disorderly boys appears to have strengthened and challenged this internet-based community of practice.

Keywords

• classroom management
• community of practice
• sloyd didactics
• exchange of experiences
• textile-sloyd
• unmotivated pupils