‘I Positioned Them as Learners Instead of Learners of Teaching’: How Teacher Educator Positioning of Self and Students Impacts Practice

This self-study of practice between a science teacher educator (Meredith) and a critical friend (Megan) examines how teacher educator beliefs about students impact teacher educator positioning within the classroom. Meredith had assumptions about pre-service teachers having limited to no teaching experience with science and thus positioned her role as an expert who needed to tell them what and how to teach science. This actualized positioning contrasted with how Meredith perceived herself as a teacher educator, resulting in tension about her practice. For this study, we draw on Vanassche and Kelchtermans’ descriptions for teacher educator positionings (pedagogue, reflective teacher, and subject teacher) as a theoretical framework AND the methodology of self-study. Findings illustrate changes with how Meredith learned to interact with her students based on her positioning of them, and herself to them, when teaching. The aim of this study is to describe how self-study of practice served as a vehicle for Meredith to adjust her positioning to a more fluid manner according to students’ needs and contributions, instead of based on assumptions.