Analyzing flying chameleons: Using autoethnography to explore change in the female educator

Abstract

What is a chameleon in the world of education? What defines her professionally, personally, and why? In this autoethnography, I explore the chameleon metaphor for meanings and implications in my personal and professional identity as a female educator by seeking answers to questions stemming from Mitchell and Weber (2005): Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? I analyzed my own autobiographical journals using the four-part Listening Guide (Gilligan, Spencer, Weinberg, & Bertsch, 2003) coupled with theme-based family coding to examine changes by choice and changes by force particular to my personal and professional experiences. Notions of home, belonging, and change as a journey emerged as themes that served to frame my identity and highlighted the importance of self-inquiry for educators as an applied practice within the greater context of the profession.