Research is not a dirty word : the risks involved in trying to overcome the teacher/theorist divide

Having been a classroom teacher, I know full well the negativity that surrounds the image of 'research'. Teachers are generally very much preoccupied with the day-to-day realities of the classroom and therefore tend to be sceptical of the new theories and curriculum initiatives that seem to be imposed on them by academics and policy-makers. Primary school teachers in Queensland are presently under a lot of pressure to embrace widely ranging curriculum changes; the idea of teaching 'new' literacies to accommodate changing communication practices is just one aspect of this reform. At the same time, however, there is increasing pressure to address a perceived decline in traditional iteracy. In view of these competing demands, it is little wonder that teachers might feel disenchanted with "trendy theory" (Goodson, 1997) and present policy-making procedures.