THE WORK OF TEACHING/MOTHERING:
RESEARCHING MY PRACTICE

By
Jennifer A. Ward

B.Ed., University of New Brunswick, 1987

DAUS, University of New Brunswick, 1996

A thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of
the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Education
In the Graduate Academic Unit of
Curriculum and Instruction

Supervisor:
Pamela Nason, Ed. Cert., MA.

Examining Board:
Mary Lou Stirling, BA, M.Ed., Ed.D. Chair
Pamela Whitty, BA, B.Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D.
External Examiner: Barbara Gill, B.Ed., MMUS, M.Ed., Phl).

This thesis is accepted.

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Dean of Graduate Studies

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK

July, 1999

ABSTRACT

Who am I? I am a teacher. I am a mother. I am the subject of my own action research project. My research began with a yeaming to make a stronger connection between the teaching and mothering work I do at home and that which I do in my work as a professional schoolteacher.

I felt strongly that my mothering could and indeed should inform my teaching at school. I knew this was possible from reading the work of Grumet, Martin, Noddings and Tizard and Hughes who call for stronger connections and continuities between home and school leaming, and an ethic of care.

I utilized action research to simultaneously investigate and promote connections between the teaching and mothering work I do. I collected data during the conduct of my daily work using the following: 1) a personal diary, 2) field notes and 3) parent/teacher diaries.

I found it is possible for me to bring maternal caring and intimacies to school and the parents of my students expected it. I found that parents of my students emphasized happiness as I do with my own children. I have raised questions about grouping children by grades and provincial curriculum guides that ignore the importance of happiness and an ethic of care.