Field Theory

This work seeks to trouble the notion of the teacher/professor binary—the conventional understanding that teachers teach and professors write theory. We’ve all had professors who were good teachers, though, right? And so why not teachers who are good theorists?

The authors in this book have been chosen specifically because they are both talented theorists and talented teachers; they are doctors of curriculum studies who work in public schools, and who are familiar with both Foucault and hall duty. They have many of the interests and aptitudes of curriculum theorists, but live the day-to-day life of practitioners, and often find themselves existing somewhere between—at Homecoming, but not quite at home.

Since our world needs all the deep and careful thinking it can get, we should not let specialization and workplace burden be an excuse to do half our jobs; we are, all, to think deeply and critically about our world, and also lead our students in learning how to do the same. It is our responsibility to ourselves and our communities and our countries to be the teacher-theorists our curriculum deserves.