The impact of sustained experiential learning on beginning teachers’ process of becoming: a narrative approach

Abstract

This paper presents a narrative inquiry approach to understanding two beginning teachers’ storied experiences of how they underwent a process of ‘becoming’ through sustained engagement with experiential learning (EL) projects on their teacher preparation course. It also stands as a counter-story to the neoliberal discourse of how ‘best’ to prepare our teachers of tomorrow. Through participating in multiple EL projects over 4 years, both beginning teachers were able to re-story their understandings of self as well as salient issues in professional development. These included heightened awareness of diversity, a commitment to serving their communities, transferrable pedagogical skills and enhanced resilience. Findings also add to our understanding of the role of community in teacher education. Implications for policy makers are suggested.