  In a climate where teachers feel deprofessionalized at the hands of
regulations, testing, and politics, it is vital that teachers become empowered
both in their own teaching and as agents of change. This physics education
research study investigates the Streamline to Mastery professional development
program, in which the teachers design professional development opportunities
for themselves and for fellow teachers. The research reported here describes
the process of teacher professional growth through changes in roles and
identities. Videos, emails, and interviews were analyzed to glean insight into
practice and participation shifts as these physical science teachers formed a
community and engaged in their own classroom research. Implications for the
role of PER in teacher professional development and teacher preparation will be
discussed.
