Through narrative inquiry, this study explored the personal and professional identities of special education teachers in a school in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings revealed a strong intersection between the personal and professional identities of the six special education teachers.
Introduction
Aims and rationale of the study
The choice of 'small stories' as my research helped me gain insight into the lives of the teachers and how the stories they tell are central to the teaching and learning process in the classroom. Kelchtermans and Vandenberghe (1994) argue that 'the self is a crucial element in the way teachers themselves interpret the nature of their jobs' (p.47).
Research questions
I imagine that the results of this study will be valuable to teachers' professional development initiatives and to policy makers. Glover and Law (1996) argue that the role of professional development becomes not only to nurture teacher growth, but also to help teachers reflect on their different identities and roles and to transform their practice based on these reflections.
Background to the study
7 a minimum of five years, and they agreed to participate in the study and do their own. The interview was conducted with the main interview question "Tell me about your experiences of teaching in a special school since your first day in the setting".
Significance of the study
The transcripts were brought to the participants to validate that the interview was conducted in an ethical manner and that no information was changed, excluded, or added. Although there has been some research on emotionality and teacher education, I have found no research conducted in the South African context on the emotionality of special education teachers.
Structure of the dissertation
Hargreaves (2001) believes that emotions are an influential factor in teachers' approaches to their professional lives and how they negotiate their identities. Zembylas (2003) argues that the emotions experienced by teachers and in some cases encouraged or prohibited in certain contexts can “expand or limit possibilities” in teaching (p. 112).
My profile
My inspiration
Growing up
What you sow is what you reap!
My father dedicated his life and sacrificed so much for people while he was in service, especially as a director. It's no wonder that these ex-students always took every opportunity to show their appreciation.
My journey as a teacher: critical influences and enactments
- I am carer and counsellor
- The curriculum enactor
- The teacher: An emotional being
- I am also a cultural being
We are all human, sometimes the emotions sometimes sneak up, but the ability to be on top of the situation is what makes a professional. I am a Nigerian from the Yoruba tribe which is one of the three main tribes in Nigeria.
Introduction
An analysis of the concept ‘identity’
- Introduction
- Socio-constructionism as a theory
- Summary
- Brief history of special needs education provision in South Africa
- Policy shifts in special needs education in the last two decades
- Special needs education provision post Education White Paper 6
In the next section, in order to contextualize my study, I give a brief overview of special education in South Africa. A landmark policy that emerged is the White Paper on Education 6: Special Education: Building an Inclusive Education System (Ministry of Education, July 2001).
Perspectives on teacher identity
Teacher identity and emotions
The findings showed that the most stressful issues were: administrative tasks, lack of support and professional development, children with behavioral problems, teachers' wrong views of their competence and lack of openness for further professional development as well as inadequate parental involvement. In order to understand the lives of the special needs educators in my study, I anticipated that I would need to examine and understand how emotions intersect with teachers' reasoning, choices, and professional decisions.
Teacher identity and culture
Third, cognition and emotion cannot be separated from the social and cultural forces that form and shape them. In relation to my study, I was of the view that special education teachers bring different histories, social and cultural beliefs into the classroom that influence their work. Therefore, in my research, where I studied the history and cultural backgrounds of special education teachers - for example how these can influence teachers' constructions of disability - I saw it as important.
Relationship between personal and professional identities
This analysis by Kelchtermans (1993) shows that the identity of teachers is closely intertwined with the personal and professional self.
Research on Teacher Identity
International empirical studies on teacher identity
The study examined teachers' subjective experiences of teaching and how support from resource and training organizations influenced how teachers negotiated their identities. In the analysis of five interviews, four main constructions of the teacher's identity emerged: 'caring and friendly teacher'; 'creative and innovative teacher'; 'professional teacher'; 'typical teacher'. This study shows that teacher identity is fluid, teachers' professional identity is linked to personal identity and vice versa.
Empirical studies on teacher identity undertaken in the African context
The importance of self-reflection is an important finding in this study because it ultimately helps teachers develop their personal and professional identities. Agbenyeka & Deku (2011) conducted a study in Ghana that examined the implementation of inclusive education policies by teachers in Ghana. 34 And their prior experiences as students, all of these experiences creep into the way teachers negotiate their personal and professional identities.
Summary
Introduction
Methodological issues
Bell (2002) states that narrative inquiry enables researchers to examine experience in all its complexity and richness. Small stories can be about more recent events ('this morning', 'last night') or events that are still unfolding. Bell (2003) states that narrative analysis can be a useful way to critically analyze and.
Conceptual framework
Beattie (2000) explains that the assumption underlying narrative inquiry is that acquaintance is an active, creative and interpretive process. For example, in the case of a teacher, stories help the storyteller construct and reconstruct his or her professional knowledge. This is caused by the need to share the latest news or events that have just taken place - or by sharing some experience in the context of participants' lives.
Research design
- Research context and participants
- Data generation
- The pilot study
- Data analysis
- Trustworthiness
- Ethical considerations
From the text, I picked up the relevant words and phrases of the narrator that reflect a certain theme. Reliability refers to the quality of the overall processes of data collection, data analysis, and theory generation. The aims and nature of this study were explained to the participants and the school principal.
Limitations of the study
Ethics ensures that the researcher does nothing to harm the participants, ensuring confidentiality and anonymity to protect the identity of the participants and the research site. Before commencing this study, I received ethical approval from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. I also requested permission from the provincial Department of Education (DoE) to use one of their schools.
Conclusion
To achieve this, pseudonyms (Jennifer, Aneesha, Nonjabulo, Inga, Marilyn and Tanesh) were used for the study participants.
Introduction
Profile of teachers
She has been teaching at the study site for 6 years and is permanently employed at the Department of Education. She is a woman with a heart and is always looking for ways to improve her well-being. She has been teaching at the university for 24 years and 5 months and is a permanent member.
Discussion of findings
- Introduction
- A glimpse into the subject positions of the teachers
- Negotiating multiple identities
- The caring, kind parent image
- The spiritual being
- The counsellor
- The creative innovator
- The curriculum policy enactor
- The self-initiated, lifelong learner
- Summary
- The intersection of emotionality and identity
- Teacher identity and culture
Yeah, and that's one of the reasons I want to work in a boarding school, you know I'll continue to be their mom. Nonjabulo respects the uniqueness of children and accepts them as God's will. Study participants shared their experiences of how they implement the curriculum as special education teachers, including complexity.
Conclusion
A teacher's self-identity must be seen in terms of personal and. The above analysis of the teachers' narratives in this study may create the impression that the teacher's professional identity is static in nature. This chapter also provided insight into the emotional aspect of the special education teacher's role and teacher identity.
Introduction
Implications of this study
The study shows that within any institution, including a special school, there are always systems of meanings that are evident in the six identity constructions. These identity constructions help teachers understand who they are in relation to their practices. Using narrative research as a method was valuable in a study of teacher identity and identity constructions.
Limitations of this study
As teachers negotiate and navigate between different identity constructions, they are able to shape and construct identities that feel comfortable to them. Soreide (2006) states that 'this can be an empowering force for the individual teacher, because it makes the teacher's identity flexible and adaptable to the context and relationships of which each teacher is a part.' (p. 543). Beijaard, Meijer and Verloop (2004) explain that teachers use stories 'to give meaning to themselves and their practice' (p. 121).
Researcher Reflections
Understanding teacher identity: A review of issues in the literature and implications for teacher education. Final Report: From the Teacher Development Resources and Training Program: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System. Inclusive education policy and practice in a KZN secondary school: an ethnographic study of tensions and possibilities.
Consent letter for District Office: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Education
Pseudonyms will be used (real names of the participants and the institution will not be used throughout the research process). Participation is voluntary; therefore, participants will be free to withdraw at any time without negative or unwanted consequences to them. Data will be stored in the University's locked cabinet for a maximum of five years, after which it will be destroyed by means they deem appropriate.
Consent form for school principal
Digital recording of interviews will only be done if the participant obtains permission. If permission has been granted to carry out studies at your school, please fill out the form below. I, ………, (full name) hereby confirm that I understand the contents of this document and the nature of the research project.
Informed consent for teachers
I,………., (participant's full name) confirm that I understand the content of this document and the nature of the research project and agree to participate in the research project.
Biographical Data Capture Form for Participants
Interview guide
I would like to believe that I have achieved many of my dreams, in the sense of being in a special school for such a long time, I have never been stuck, every year I have been enthusiastic. To answer you about my dreams, I think I would like to believe that I have achieved many of my dreams, in terms of being in a special school for such a long time. I involve them in learning, I involve them in jokes and I always like to make them laugh, this is a clear expression of my personality.
