Beginning Student Teachers’ Teacher Identities based on their Practical Theories

Source: European Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 37, Issue 2, 2014, pages 204-219.

This article investigates teacher identities of first-year student teachers through their practical theories.
The authors ask what these practical theories reveal about their emerging teacher identities?
The study uses dialogical viewpoint, where identity is constructed through various positions, to explore teacher identity.
The authors analysed the practical theories of 71 first-year student teachers.
 
The results revealed 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, the participants’ 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.
The results imply that the role of teacher education should be considered in the process of promoting development of student teachers’ teacher identity during their studies.