A Narrative Exploration of Teacher Educators' Tales of Resilience

• In Event: Teachers' Narratives Exploring Changing Landscapes

Abstract

This study explored teacher educators’ stories of what sustains them. Within the framework of challenges faced by teacher educators, teacher educators’ experiences are currently exacerbated leading teacher educators to question their teacher educator identity. Across the world, teacher educators wonder whether they can be sustained and continue to live the narrative of being teacher educators. We sought to understand our resilience or lack of it by sharing narratives of experience. The data emerged from a series of letters written by the two authors and weekly conversations analyzing and considering them. Our analysis led us to identify the elements of our resilience as relationship, research, roles and responsibility. We found that these elements were the sources of both resilience and discouragement.

Authors

• Stefinee E. Pinnegar, Brigham Young University

• M. Shaun Murphy, University of Saskatchewan