Learning: A process of enculturation into the community’s practices. Kong, A., & Pearson, P. D. (2005)

From Ailing Kong
This piece is the talk that David and I gave at the 2004 NCTE Annual Conference upon receiving the Alan C. Purves Award from NCTE. In this talk, we shared how I was mentored into the educational research community and the important role played by “a composite mentor”, a collective group of several different senior colleagues who provide the right bits and pieces to meet the range of needs of a young scholar. To David, and to all others who have guided me into the educational research community, I am forever grateful!
We also shared our concerns for the erosion of teacher professional prerogative. When they are well-informed of the full range of options that our scholarship can provide, teachers know the best in terms of how to better meet the needs of THEIR students, especially students with diverse backgrounds.