Meet Cora: The Story of a Feisty Sixth-Grade English Language Learner Teacher

• In Event: Roundtable Session 43
  In Roundtable Session: Lives of Teachers: Characteristics and Traits

Abstract

This qualitative life history study seeks to understand the teaching life of Cora, an experienced 6th Grade teacher, by making visible how she viewed her teaching history and what influenced her in retrospect. Building on the life history research model of Goodson and Sikes (2001), I used the discourse of the teacher to describe the trajectory of her professional life. With primary sources of online forum posts, and extensive follow-up interviews data were analyzed using a multi-step, narrative-inspired framework. Findings include how the collective stories of Cora inform teacher educators to find ways to assist teachers in enacting professional courage.

Author

• Tammi R. Davis, University of Louisville