Teacher Self-Study: Stories of “Being” and “Becoming”

• In Event: Teacher Agency for Professional and Personal Growth

Abstract

Over the last decade, researchers have scrutinized the role of teacher education in supporting teacher development and school improvement. Funding from the Office of Special Education Programs has encouraged the exploration of innovative ways to prepare teachers for the diverse and ever changing landscape of special education and the need for leadership. This qualitative case study research examines the relationship between a teacher’s personal and professional development, looking at factors that foster or restrain a teacher’s sense of agency in their development. In addition, each teacher’s development story is examined seeking to understand implications for school improvement and teacher leadership. A teacher self-study was used as a framework to understand the intersection between development, life history, and personal/professional agency.

Author

• Regina Marie Weir, Indiana University