Complex Development of Preservice and Inservice Teacher Identities

The authors of "The Complex Development of Preservice and Inservice Teacher Identities" argue that teacher identity awareness is crucial for preservice and in-service teachers who desire deeper knowledge about the role of identities in effective instruction. They use a process drama lens to explore how teacher identities are performed, reproduced, and shifted at the micro level across two years of data, demonstrating how teachers tactically position themselves to navigate current political discourses of accountability and standardization. Understanding how identities are constructed, evolve, and shift moment-by-moment is essential for programs striving to prepare successful teachers and for schools providing meaningful professional development for in-service teachers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 194 pages
Publication date: 24 December 2019
Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing Inc

Previous scholars have delved into the intricate complexities of teacher identity, highlighting the imperative of expanding our understanding beyond mere skill acquisition and generalized best practices. While there has been a growing interest in exploring teacher identities at both the micro and macro levels, few books have specifically focused on this topic. In this timely and insightful book, the authors argue that cultivating teacher identity awareness is of paramount importance for preservice and in-service teachers who seek a deeper comprehension of the role of identities in effective teaching.

The Complex Development of Preservice and Inservice Teacher Identities takes a groundbreaking approach to understanding teacher identities by employing a process drama lens. This lens utilizes dramatic structures such as teacher in role, students in role, tableau, and others to ignite imaginations and explore diverse interpretive possibilities. Through this lens, Crumpler and Handsfield unveil how teacher identities are enacted, reproduced, and how they can undergo shifts at the micro level, manifesting in everyday discourse and classroom practices over a span of two years. Extensive data analysis is conducted using micro-ethnographic discourse analysis, shedding light on how teachers strategically position themselves to navigate the prevailing political discourses of accountability and standardization in both pre-service and in-service contexts.

Understanding the construction, evolution, and moment-to-moment fluctuations of identities is crucial for programs aimed at preparing successful teachers and for schools offering meaningful professional development for in-service teachers. By delving into the intricacies of teacher identity, this book provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics that shape educators' professional lives and contributes to the development of more inclusive and effective teaching practices.

Weight: 420g
Dimension: 154 x 229 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781433173134
Edition number: New ed