Beginning student teachers’ agency in teacher identity negotiations

Figures & data

Table 1. Master and counter-narratives: first-year student teachers’ agency in identity negotiation.

	Relation to school as a pupil	Relation to career choice	Relation to teacher education	Relation to perception of teaching
The master narrative: Sustaining internalised teacher identity	Compliance with norms Being a ‘typical’ prospective teacher: active and good pupil, achieving high grades, conscientious in schoolwork, following teachers’ instructions	Teaching experienced as innate ‘Familiar’ occupation; Personal characteristics suitable for a teacher; Always liked school; Always wanted to become a teacher	Teacher education as qualification Orientation towards areas of teacher education that correspond to internalised ideas of teaching; Compliance with teacher educators’ authority; Aiming to achieve good grades and qualify as a teacher	Teaching as practice Practical studies (e.g. practicums, subject studies) emphasised as highly important; Agency in relation to the teacher’s practice
Counter-narrative 1: Transforming teacher identity	Accounts of agency Autonomy and agency in relation to some areas of learning and school	Teaching as a reflected choice Careful consideration of career choice; Teaching as a future profession not viewed as self-evident	Teacher education as learning to become a teacher Meaning of teacher education for learning; Agency and ownership of one’s learning for future teacher work; Breaking away from authority compliance	Teaching as complex and multidimensional Questioning one’s preconceptions of teaching; Evolving understanding of the complex and multidimensional nature of teachers’ work; Transforming teacher identity in line with teacher education’s story of teaching
Counter-narrative 2: Questioning teacher identity	Resisting norms Questioning or transgressing school norms; Acting against normative behaviour	Teaching as uncertain Drifting before or to teacher education; Doubts about willingness or suitability in relation to becoming a teacher	Teacher education as contradictory Agency and ownership of meaningful learning; Questioning some areas of teacher education	Teaching as critically reflected Critical reflection regarding the core of teachers’ work; Unresolved questions