Narratives of early career teachers in a changing professional landscape

Abstract

This chapter draws upon research carried out with pre-service teachers at the end of their initial teacher training and Newly Qualified Teachers reflecting back on their induction year. Research participants were interviewed to elicit perspectives of professionalism within the social, historical, political and cultural contexts in which they work. Erben (1998) suggests that individuals' stories can serve general and specific purposes. Here, the stories shed light, at a general level on early career teachers as a professional group but also elucidate through individual's lived experiences specific insights into the professional socialisation of New Public Management. Specifically, the increase in neoliberal agendas, marketisation of services, performativity, accountability and new-managerialism promotes an organisational professionalism for teachers (Evetts 2009). Therefore, this chapter illustrates how early career teachers come to understand their professional identity within this context.