Am I a Teacher? Exploring the Development of Professional Identity

Abstract

Fifteen years ago I struggled as a first-year high school English teacher. It was a very difficult year. I had thought I was prepared for my new job, so the realization that I was not as ready as I predicted came as quite a shock. I knew my content, and I was knowledgeable about many creative pedagogical strategies, but I couldn't figure out how to place myself in the classroom-who was I as a teacher? How much of myoid self could I bring to my class? How much of a new persona, almost a new "person," did I have to create to interact effectively with students? I felt disoriented and a little off balance. I didn't know how to be a teacher , even though I knew the fundamentals of a teacher's work. In short, I struggled with assuming a teacher identity.