Teacher Students’ School Memories as a Part of the Development of Their Professional Identity

Abstract

Finnish teacher education is highly esteemed since Finnish pupils' success in international PISA comparisons and teacher education is a very popular choice among university applicants. Childhood school experiences are part of the development of a teacher's identity. In this research, the connection between the school memories and the development of teacher students' professional identity is studied in the light of teacher students' memories and narratives. The research was a qualitative research where teacher students were interviewed through theme interview with a narrative approach. The research questions set to this study were: (1) How are teacher students' school memories connected to the development of professional identity? (2) How are their school memories exploited in teacher education? According to the results, little time is devoted to analyzing teacher students' school memories. Teacher education does not highlight school memories and the significance of teacher students' former teachers and yet, these issues occupy teacher students mind. Teacher education should offer a place where teacher students could reflect their experiences and understand their developing teacher identity.

Untitled

“…Calderhead and Robson (1991) refer to the memorized images "as models for action". It is supported that the experiences that a teacher had during his/her school years, are part of the development of his/her professional identity (Heikkilä et al, 2012). Yet, controversial aspects have been reported on whether teacher education can transform student teachers' initial ideas about teaching and learning (Murphy et al, 2004), leading once more to the conclusion that these ideas and beliefs are extremely resistant to change.…”

“…exceptional teaching situations and circumstances, good teachers, etc) and the worst memories (i.e. public humiliation, ridicule, or fear) from their school years (Heikkilä et al, 2012). It is well recognized that when students enter teacher training programs in colleges or universities, they also bring their personal attitudes, views, theories and beliefs about teaching and learning.…”

“…The importance for the exploration of the possible effects that the teacher's training has upon the important school years memories, has also been stressed elsewhere (Saban, 2003;He and Levin, 2008). In their study, Heikkilä et al (2012) investigated whether teacher students' school memories are in any way exploited in teacher education in Finland. Their main outcome was that teacher students' school memories are not analyzed as they should during their university studies in order for future teachers to reflect on them Heikkilä et al (2012).…”

“…In their study, Heikkilä et al (2012) investigated whether teacher students' school memories are in any way exploited in teacher education in Finland. Their main outcome was that teacher students' school memories are not analyzed as they should during their university studies in order for future teachers to reflect on them Heikkilä et al (2012). Furthermore, they found that student teachers remembered their childhood teachers mostly for their personality and behavior and less for their academic profile (teaching methods and classroom management) (Heikkilä et al, 2012).…”

“…Vuorikoski ( , in Heikkilä et al (2012) claims that it would be very important that teacher education programs include the analysis of students' personal school memories, «as an obligatory part of the studies". This way, future teachers would have the ability to reflect on their own memories, assess and interpret them within the framework of their education studies.…”