Exploring the development of teacher identity: A study of prospective teachers learning to teach

This study examines the dynamic process of the development of five preservice teachers' identities within the context of a teacher education course that focused on teaching and learning as facets of the same process.;The research addressed four questions: (1) What prior knowledge and experience about education, teachers, teaching, teacher education, subject matter, schools, and learning did each preservice teacher bring to the course? (2) How did this prior knowledge and experience influence the construction and formation of their teacher identities? (3) How were these constructions and formations of teacher identity affected, modified, and/or changed as a result of participating in a teacher education course with a central focus on the teacher as learner? (4) What effects did the structure, content and experiences of my university classroom have on the development of my teacher identity and on my teaching and learning practices?;Qualitative methods associated with self-study research were utilized in this study. Data included: audio-tapes of teacher education class sessions, participants' and teacher researcher's journals, interviews, class assignments, presentations, projects, and e-mail exchanges.;Teacher identity was analyzed using three conceptual domains: (1) self in relation to others; (2) self in relation to knowledge; and (3) self in relation to the teaching profession.;Study results suggest that preservice teachers benefit from encouragement and guidance in understanding the construction, development, and importance of their teacher identities.;The research has four significant implications for teacher education: (1) teacher education programs should personalize their instruction by focusing on individual learning and recognize the significance of the act of becoming or the development of a professional identity; (2) teacher educators need to understand that the development of teacher identity includes not only how teachers relate to their subject matter but also aspects of novice teachers' prior knowledge and experience, and commitment to the profession; (3) self-study research conducted in a teacher education classroom allows for meaningful investigation of students' interpretative frameworks as they explore their teacher identities; and (4) self-studies may help promote a dialogue among teacher educators about what is going on inside their classrooms.