Estimated time required to complete full module: 20 h
Estimated time required to complete unit: 7 h
Estimated time required to complete unit: 7 h
Estimated time required to complete unit: 6 h
Estimated time required to complete unit: 10 h
Your identity in context
Identity develops in the context of power relations, ideology, and culture.
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Constructing our identities as teachers is very personal. It is dependent upon our own sense of power and personal agency. |
We construct this meaning through our social interactions in a particular socio-cultural, historical and institutional context. We can construct (and reconstruct) our identities depending on our changing beliefs. These beliefs can be responses to pleasant experiences and emotions – pride in learners’ accomplishments – as well as unpleasant emotions – anger, frustration, burning out.
During our early teaching years, we develop our professional identities by combining pieces of our past – including our own school years and our teacher preparation – with pieces of our present. Together they allow us to create our sense of purpose as a teacher.
A clear professional identity contributes to our sense of worth and job satisfaction. However, our identity as a teacher is a ‘continuing site of struggle’. It is always linked to a given social and cultural context. It is dependent upon our view of ourselves and that context in which we work.