Contours of Identity: The Concept of the Teaching Profession in the Light of Biographical Narratives

Abstract

Based on a qualitative study and an analysis of a teacher’s narratives, this article seeks to highlight the key contours of identity: value orientations, self-perception, moments of learning from life, and the notion of professional ‘calling’ (i.e., professional vocation)). In this context, teacher identity is understood as an open, dynamic structure formed not only through studies or work experience, but also through personal, family, and cultural experiences. The aim of the article is to reveal the process of constructing a teacher’s professional identity in biographical narratives by identifying significant personal, social, and professional experiences. The analysis and results of the qualitative data draw on the theory of biographical learning (Alheit and Dausien, 2005), the concept of reflective practice (Schön, 1983), and the perspective of social constructivism (Berger and Luckmann, 2004). The study contributes to a more profound understanding of the teaching profession and encourages education policy and teacher training programs to focus on the wholeness of the individual, inseparable from their biographical context. The findings reveal that ‘becoming a teacher’ is not merely a professional career, but rather an existential journey, in which, each experience becomes a meaningful element in shaping the professional identity.