Browsing by Subject "Teacher Identity"

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    The Identities of Teachers in Jewish Day Schools: Descriptions, Development, Impacts, and Relationships
    (2014-06) Tornberg, Robert E.
    This study is rooted in several interests of the researcher: 1) Literature focusing on the importance of teacher identity development for pre-service and in-service teachers; 2) Several crises in the Jewish community including the high rates of assimilation and the shortage of teachers for Jewish day schools; and 3) The belief of Jewish communal leaders that Jewish education and Jewish educators hold one of the keys to addressing these issues. The purpose of this case study is to examine the extent to which teachers in Jewish day schools self-identify as teachers, as Jews, and as Jewish teachers/educators; to what they attribute the development of their various identities; how the identities interact; and how such identifications shape their beliefs about teaching and learning. The "case" that was studied was graduates of the DeLeT (Day School Leadership through Teaching) Program at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Los Angeles) and Brandeis University (Waltham, MA), a teacher preparation program specifically for teachers in Jewish day schools. Through studying this case, the researcher believes that the prior findings of others on teacher identity was expanded and extended. Furthermore, he holds that an understanding of several additional identities--Jewish identity, Jewish teacher identity, and Jewish educator identity--relevant to Jewish education and Jewish educators is helpful to Jewish community professional and lay leadership as they struggle with the crises alluded to previously. Many findings emerged from this research. Aside from the interview data providing an in-depth understanding of teacher identity, Jewish identity, and Jewish teacher/educator identity, issues such as the impact on identity of Israel experiences and the influence of the teacher's role in her or his school surfaced. Additionally, the data led to the learning that various forms of identity development can be affected in a teacher preparation program. One of the significant overall "learnings," however, was that, in thinking about the identity of teachers, it is not sufficient to look only at "teacher identity." Teacher educators and those responsible for in-service teacher development must also take into account, for example, the teacher's religious, national, and cultural identities. It is clear from this study that these parts of a person's identity impact her or his teacher identity and vice-versa and the boundaries between these "identities" are porous, ambiguous, and mutable. Teacher identity simply does not exist in a vacuum. This reality becomes even more vital when the teacher is working in a religious context or in a school with a particular mission (e.g. social action). These mission-driven schools are highly invested in values as well as content and the "person" of the teacher as an authentic role model becomes critically important. In addition to exploring the many layers of identity that affect teachers in general, and Jewish educators in particular, the researcher also proposes a formal definition of the term "Jewish educator." This term, used regularly in scholarly and practitioner literature is not defined and its meaning is not clearly understood by those who use it. Therefore, this definition has been developed based on the interviews conducted (more than 80% of which were with people who consider themselves to be Jewish educators) and the experience of the researcher. Its purpose is to put the conversation about this term "on the table" for discussion and refinement.
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    Understanding Teacher Professional Identity Development: An Exploration of Secondary Science Teacher Beliefs and Practices Through Reflective Practice
    (2019-08) Titu, Preethi
    Teachers' beliefs about science teaching are established and nurtured through their own experiences as learners. While teacher beliefs have a significant impact on their classroom practices and provide a strong basis for their classroom actions, teachers’ sense of identity has been shown to play a key role in their understanding of their own actions (Kelchtermans, 2005). New teachers are forced to confront their professional identities on a regular basis and in multiple ways during their beginning years in the profession (Thomas & Beauchamp, 2011). A greater understanding of their own identities can assist new teachers as they face many of the challenges in their careers. This longitudinal qualitative study followed three beginning science teachers throughout a three-year induction period. The study used a framework of evolving teacher identity modified from Beauchamp and Thomas (2006) to explore the teachers’ identity development in terms of their classroom roles and responsibilities, the ways they think of and describe themselves as professionals, and their beliefs and practices about their classroom teaching and student learning. The research design employed is an exploratory multiple case study (Yin, 2014) of three teachers working in high need schools. Data were collected from multiple sources, including classroom observations, teacher interviews, and reflective journals. The findings provide insight into how beginning teachers perceived their identities based on the three themes: (a) role as a teacher; (b) teaching practice, and (c) enhancing student learning. The findings indicated that the beginning teachers’ roles had fluctuated between “authoritative” and “facilitator” over the first three years as they struggled with classroom management. In two cases, the teachers reverted to direct instruction during their first and second year, but over time they developed routines and pedagogical strategies to implement more student-centered, hands-on lessons aligned with their identity as “facilitator.” In the third case, the teacher’s practice maintained throughout the three years was primarily lecture with an occasional hands-on activity to promote student engagement, as opposed to learning. This traditional practice was aligned with his beliefs about his role as a teacher and how students learn in spite of his stated identity as a “guide.” This study informs teacher educators about the importance of reflection as they work to prepare future teachers and support in-service teachers in developing their identities and shaping their beliefs toward teaching in their classroom.