Beginning teachers’ professional identity formation in early science mathematics and technology teaching : what develops?

Abstract

This article is about professional teacher identity (PTI) formation of two foundation phase (pre-primary and primary level) teachers in their first year of teaching early science mathematics and technology (SMT) in two different schools. The study used a qualitative research approach involving phenomenology and case study method to illuminate factors that influence beginning teachers’ professional identity formation. Data was generated from different sources for the purpose of triangulation, which included visual and written narratives, observations and interviews. The article concludes by noting the complexity of the ‘makings’ of teachers, and how identity formation is connected to individual life histories, the quality of initial teacher education, school context as well as national context. These factors emerge as strong determinants of the kind of professional teacher identities, which the two novice teachers develop in their first year of SMT teaching, and the kind of teachers they aspire to become.