Lärarfortbildning med stöd av metaforer

This article focuses on how teachers’ professional development can be enhanced through the use of metaphors. The aim is to explore how teachers develop a deeper understanding of their professional identity and role by employing metaphorical concepts. The key questions addressed are: (1) What types of concepts of metaphorical nature do the teachers employ in their reflections on school-related issues?, (2) What function do these concepts of metaphorical nature have in teachers' discussions about their practice and profession? The analysis is based on reflective logs written by teachers after each of the five sessions in a seminar series designed to deepen their understanding of their teaching responsibilities. The findings show that teachers use self-conceived, given, and associative concepts of metaphorical nature when reflecting on their teaching roles. Over the course of the sessions, three distinct phases emerge in terms of the functions the metaphorical concepts serve in the reflection logs. An initial phase of affirmation was identified, followed by a perspective-shifting phase, and finally, a concluding phase. Based on our findings, we argue that the use of metaphorical concepts can support teachers' professional development and contribute to a deeper understanding of their teaching roles.