Sedimented professional identities: early childhood education pre-service teachers

ABSTRACT

A shifting notion in the field of early childhood education (ECE) is what it is to be a ‘professional’. This paper examines third-year early childhood undergraduate pre-service teachers (PSTs) developing understandings of notions of ‘professionalism’ as expressed through identity texts. PSTs develop knowledge of standards, frameworks and policies that impact on their professional work and undertake a review of legislative requirements. As a counterpart, the intent of this teaching unit and its associated research was to move PSTs beyond regulatory requirements to assist them to develop a critical awareness of the notion of ‘professionalism’. To gather evidence of PSTs own dynamic perceptions of what ‘professionalism’ entails, insights were gleaned from the ways they responded to an identity text workshop activity that asked them to represent ‘professionalism’ through visual imagery and text. These insights are discussed in terms of ‘sedimented identities’ and three sites of meaning of an image. The findings suggest that developing conceptions of professionalism in ECE are sedimented over time through engagement with generic principles from the workplace and official government documents that regulate the profession of early childhood education.

KEYWORDS:

• sedimented identities
• pre-service teacher education
• early childhood education
• professional identity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anne Keary

Anne Keary is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Her research employs a qualitative longitudinal approach to explore social and educational responses to changes in families and family relationships, and how they shape transitions to education, work and community life.

Robyn Babaeff

Robyn Babaeff is lecturer and researcher in the Faculty of Education at Monash University - Early Childhood-Primary Teaching. She currently teaches and researches into leadership, professionalism, transition and parent/community partnerships. Robyn's research also explores family, diversity and heritage languages and culture. 

Sharryn Clarke

Sharryn Clarke is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. She teaches into undergraduate and postgraduate Early Years courses. She aims to continue researching ways that leadership and social media can make a positive impact upon the lives of children, families, teachers and educators.

Kathryn Garnier

Kathryn Garnier is a Teaching and Research Associate at Monash University Faculty of Education. Her interests include the ways that policy impacts teachers' professional identity, pedagogy, and assessment development; inclusive education, and how multiculturalism affects learning and development outcomes.