Heard any really good stories lately? A critique of the critics of narrative in educational research

In this paper I examine the problems of "truth" in the use of narratives to study teaching. The analysis focuses on the themes of universality and control that have dominated the study of teaching and conceptions of the relationship between research and social policy. I argue (1) that teaching can only be known through story; (2) that story gives rise to provisional models that teachers can use to address local situations; and (3) that policy is a storied process grounded in the cherished narratives of a society and, thus, story is central to fostering school improvement.