Shape Shifting: The Influence of Practice and Praxis on In-Service Trainee Teacher Identity

Clare Louise Winder

Abstract below..

Parallel to the continuing debate surrounding teacher professionalism (see, Thompson and Robinson, 2008) the last 15 years has witnessed a host of policy changes which speak of ‘re-professionalizing’ and the ‘professionalization of’ the FE sector. This drive towards ‘raising professional standards’ culminated in the current proposed policy changes to ITE requirements presented by Lord Lingfield (2012) as part of the Evaluation of FE Teachers Qualifications (England) Regulations (2007) (Dept. BIS, 2012). As a teacher educator in light of these developments, now feels a timely point to step back and re-think ‘Teacher Professionalism’; to take stock of what policy decrees teachers’ professional identity ought to be and compare this rhetoric with the reality of in-service trainee teachers currently studying the Post Graduate/ Certificate in Education (Post Compulsory) programmes.

On a fundamental level, identity in any format refers to the core characteristics and personal constructs of an individual. Whilst each one of us will have a ‘core identity’, exposure to diverse environments and circumstances can cause our identity to develop differently and shift according to our different roles (Adams, 2006). Research data collected across two cohorts of in-service trainee teachers appeared to show clear evidence of both practice and praxis shaping their identity. Mindful of the need for a secure analytical structure (particularly in terms of credibility) I wanted to be certain that my analysis of this ‘evidence’ corresponded as soundly as possible with the respondents’ voices. To support this I created a conceptual framework, triangulating the work of three key writers’ which allows a combined consideration of the four identity types, the notion of identity as product and/ or process and consideration of the affective and emotional components of identity development.

With interim findings correlating with the notion that the development of professional identity is a “multi-faceted and dynamic” endeavour (Beauchamp and Thomas, 2009: 177), now is a timely opportunity to address professional identity as a central component of teacher education as a reflective-interpretive concept that has the potential to develop reflective-creative teachers. Clearly, as teacher educators, to achieve this, we need to engage with and contribute to the discourse around the delivery of our programmes; perhaps we too need to consider our professional identity, are we technicians of our subject or masters of our craft?

REFERENCES:

Adams, M. (2006). Hybridizing habitus and reflexivity: towards an understanding of contemporary identity? Sociology, 40, (3), p.p. 511-528.

Beauchamp, C. and Thomas, L. (2009) Understanding teacher identity: an overview of issues in the literature and implications for teacher education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 39, (2), pp. 175-189

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2012) Evaluation of FE teachers’ qualifications (England) regulations 2007. London: DBIS

Lingfield, R. (2012) Professionalism in Further Education. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Thompson, R. and Robinson, D. (2008). Changing step or marking time? Teacher education reforms for the learning and skills sector in England. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 32, (2), p.p. 451-467.