The aim of the study, among others, is to contribute to an understanding of the complex role of drama teaching and drama teachers’ learning trajectories. The purpose is thus to contribute to more knowledge and to an increased understanding of drama teacher’s wellbeing and professional development.  The research question for this paper is: How can the learning trajectories of the drama teachers throughout the school year be described and understood? The theory of practice architectures by Stephen Kemmis and Peter Grootenboer is used to interpret the findings. In this practice theory, practice is defined as a nexus of sayings, doings and relatings, dependent on the arrangements in the practice architectures. An model that explain the drama teaching learning loop is and  the dialectical tension between drama teaching practice and the architectures is introduces as an interpretive tool when analyzing how drama teachers negotiate in the communicative space where they design their practice.

Within a socio-cultural framework of understanding, an ethnographic study was conducted on the culture and context of drama implementation.The ethnographic account is based on thick descriptions and thematic narrative analyses summed up as a cultural portrait of the drama teaching practices in Hillcrest (grade 5) and Mountain-line (grade 6) schools, respectively. An ethnographic approach can include a variety of methods, both qualitative and quantitative. In the research I have chosen qualitative approach in order to catch the fine-grained and subtle aspects of drama teaching as well as dimensions of the professional life of the drama teacher. The theory of practice architectures by Stephen Kemmis and Peter Grootenboer is used to interpret the findings. In this practice theory, practice is defined as a nexus of sayings, doings and relatings, dependent on the arrangements in the practice architectures. Enabling and constraining arrangements in the practice architectures connected to the implementation of drama as a subject in compulsory education are identified and discussed. A dialectical tension is illustrated by a response loop influencing what can be achieved from the learning, including the influence of what Elliot Eisner calls an invisible curriculum.

The findings reveal that the learning trajectories of drama teachers can both be seen as illustrating the importance of recognition and the importance of community and that drama teaching is recognized as a complex and demanding career.The study calls for changes in opportunities for the professional development of drama teachers. Further, it calls for a reconceptualization of how a drama teacher’s learning trajectory could be designed in order to support the drama teacher and his or her resilience and motivation to transform the teaching for the benefit of the learning of the students.

Eisner, E. W. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind. New Haven: Yale University Press. Fetterman, D., M. (2010). Ethnography: Step-by step (5th ed.). London: Sage Kemmis, S. & Grootenboer, P. (2008). Situating praxis in practice. In S. Kemmis, T. Smith & J. Smith (Eds.) Enabling praxis: Challenges for education (pp. 37-62). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.