Exploring the ontological nature of teachers’ conversations

The systemic influence of the neoliberal ideology, with its political and social business rationalities, appears to be having an impact on a teacher’s way of being. In this context, the ontological nature of teachers’ conversations is largely hidden and seemingly silent. This study reports on the findings of a hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry exploring teachers’ ways of ‘being in’ conversations (Schubert, 2018). Everyday teacher experiences of being in conversation were described by participants and interpreted for powerful phenomenological themes against the backdrop of the philosophical writings of Heidegger. Conversations were shown to have a human condition of ‘thrownness’. Yet conversations are imbued with linguistic meanings, interrupted in moments of unrest and uncertainty, which are felt by teachers. These moments glimpsed the nature of a teacher’s ways of being a teacher. Teacher’s ways of being notice, see, feel and act with intent. In their human capacity the teachers sought to question, what is good, and to act with intentionality toward the human wellbeing of others. In summary this research inquiry challenges the dominant ideology that labels quality teaching in managerial terms. It is a timely paper addressing the reductionism that occurs when humans are seen as merely products serving a system.