Narratives from the same side of the fence: An inquiry in the quest for social justice inside the special education classroom

Drawing from the fact that learning is a human experience (Dewey, 1938a), this inquiry into teacher's knowledge is a self-study that focuses on the experience of a graduate student and secondary public education teacher as he begins to facilitate a moral and critical vision of special education (Kincheloe, 2004; Purpel & McLaurin, 2004). The researcher identifies himself as both the subject and the learner, focusing on the contentious aspects of special education as a social, cultural, economic, and political entity (Valentine, 2007). As such, this research delves into the personal experience of a disabled individual who works as a teacher in a large suburban public school in Northwest Houston.;Utilizing the method of narrative inquiry (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990), this self-study considers the importance of the self-reflective process, and the relevance of teachers as curriculum makers (Connelly & Clandinin, 1988), and the stories that teachers bring to school (Craig, 2006b). Within this frame, this work also examines the contentious social forces shaping a teacher's experience from the lens of critical pedagogy (McLaren, 2003b) and moral education (R. Miller, 1990/1997). This narrative highlights the importance of a reflective practice in discovering the need of a moral dialogue for this teacher/learner within the context of special education. Recognizing previous calls for a moral discourse in the field of disability studies (Valentine, 2007), this work extends the terrain of teacher's knowledge as a self-reflective practice, valuing the power of self-examination as a powerful tool that can foster a better understanding of special education.