Perezhivanie in Action

Abstract

Analyzing a teacher’s perezhivanie shows how she both cognitively and emotionally experiences dramatic events and the mediation provided in response to such events, uncovering her professional development. This paper’s objective is threefold: (i) to illustrate how a novice English teacher’s perezhivanie refracts the contradictions she faces when her practice is inquired into by a more experienced peer; (ii) to analyze the quality and character of his mediation in response to these events; and (iii) to trace how the novice teacher’s perezhivanie shapes her professional development. Nine classroom observations followed by post-observation interviews were conducted. The findings illustrate how the teacher’s refraction of dramatic events and the responsive mediation offered allowed her to (re)visit and (re)shape her professional identity and activity.