Beginning student teachers’ teacher identities based on their practical theories

Abstract

In this article, we investigate first-year student teachers’ teacher identities through their practical theories and ask what these practical theories reveal about their emerging teacher identities? This study approaches teacher identity from a dialogical viewpoint where identity is constructed through various positions. The empirical part of this study analysed the practical theories of 71 first-year student teachers in order to determine what kinds of positions are involved in their teacher identity at the beginning of their teacher education and what positions are emphasised. The results showed that when student teachers begin their teacher education, the majority of positions concern didactical issues, that is, how to promote pupils’ studying and learning processes. In addition, student teachers’ teacher identities as teachers strongly emphasise the moral nature of teaching. Contextual issues about school and society and matters related to content, such as the curriculum, had little representation in first-year student teacher identities. On the basis of the results, the role of teacher education is considered in the process of promoting development of student teachers’ teacher identity during their studies.

Keywords:

• teacher identity
• practical theory
• beliefs
• first-year student teachers
• teacher education

Notes

1. Beijaard, Verloop and Vermunt (2000) speak similarly when they discuss about teachers’ ‘sub-identities’.

2. The difference between didactics and pedagogy in this study is that didactics refers to activities involved in promoting students’ studying and learning processes, such as, teaching models, assessment, instructions and so on. Pedagogy, on the other hand, refers to educational processes.