"Being in the Classroom Really Wakes You Up": Identity Development of Teach First Candidates

• In Event: 53.081 - Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: 53.081-6 - Lives of Teachers: Professional Development and Teacher Identity

Abstract

Young professionals are offered, through alternative educational programs such as Teach for All, opportunities to explore various professional identities such as the identity of a teacher. Based on longitudinal interview data with six Teach for Norway (TFN) candidates we find that constructing a provisional self as a teacher helps candidates to decide whether teaching is a profession they might want to continue in. Additionally, contextual influences such as collegial relationships and emotional influences such as experienced workload impacted the TFN candidates’ decision. We believe that alternative teacher education programs should keep in mind that trying out teaching as a profession is valuable, yet the influence of context and emotional support should not be overlooked.

Authors

• Katrine Nesje, University of Oslo

• Esther T. Canrinus, University of Agder