Understanding the Unsaid: Deconstructing Silence and Reconstructing Self

This chapter examines a third assumption which reflects my belief that pre-service teachers who contributed verbally to the reflective discourse would be maximising their learning opportunities. This third assumption frames the analysis in this chapter. The process of examining this assumption began with my recognition of, and curiosity about, the role of dominant voices during Roundtable Reflection sessions. I begin with a brief summary of the literature related to the ways in which silence has been conceptualised in teacher education. This is followed by an examination of the theme of silence as it emerged in my practice and the ways in which silence was recognised, experienced and interpreted by the pre-service teachers/teacher educator. The examination of silence and of that which remains unsaid explicates more about the (re)construction of self as a teacher educator and raises questions about how an increased awareness of silence can influence our awareness of all learners and contribute to new ways of being a teacher educator.