Becoming a Teacher: Moments That Matter

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 7:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Moments That Matter: Teacher Identities Across Generations

Abstract

Preservice teachers (PSTs) construct their professional identity through lived experiences and interactions in the classroom. Understanding how PSTs interpret these experiences is essential for supporting their development and long-term commitment to teaching. Prior research emphasizes reflective practices and retrospective interviews to explore identity development. However, these methods often overlook the day-to-day experiences in which identity development takes place. Therefore, this study uses the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI) to analyze what PSTs reflect on and identify as meaningful moments, and how these moments are negotiated over time. Through a single-case, exploratory design incorporating photographic journals and stimulated-recall interviews, this study offers new insights into the temporal, emotional, and contextual dynamics that shape PST identity development.

Author

• Alexandria Holmes, Purdue University