The purpose of this study is to explore the meaning of the identity of the elementary social studies teacher starting from focusing on the fact that the formation of identity of the elementary social studies teacher means the growth to become an eleme...
The purpose of this study is to explore the meaning of the identity of the elementary social studies teacher starting from focusing on the fact that the formation of identity of the elementary social studies teacher means the growth to become an elementary social studies teacher, understanding the existential forms of identity of the elementary social studies teacher and its forming process.
A teacher’s identity is related to the experience of his(her) life and its changing, and it is formed through the act of teaching, that is, through interaction with practice. It is also defined by the values and beliefs of the teacher that he(she) hopes to be in a changing political, social and cultural environment and by the sentiments vis-a-vis the teaching. Therefore, its identity has characteristics of various natures including temporal, practical, individual and social natures. Thus, its identity comprises of various factors like action/practice, experiences, self (values, beliefs, desire and motivations), and the future self as teachers.
This study leans on Pinar’s Autobiography Method to better understand the identity of elementary social studies teacher. The above-mentioned method is made up of 4 steps in order which are regression, progression, analysis and synthesis. Pinar’s method consists in defining oneself by looking back on the past and expecting the future, that is, seeing one’s life in the context of time and social structure by objectifying oneself and understanding the meaning of existence. In such a respect, Pinar’s method is a process of understanding the identity.
Furthermore, the data on the relationships with students and other fellow teachers are collected and he(she) is asked to express his(her) feelings about him(her)self by paintings. The various data collected by such a method are repeatedly examined.
The results of the study are as follows.
The identity of an elementary social studies teacher is formed having relationships with life, practice, self and society.
On the point of view of life and practice, the identity of an elementary social studies teacher is a process of existential changing through rather internal differences than a sameness and a continuity. A certain difference exists between the experiences and memories of one’s past social studies and one’s present practice, which means that the past experiences are being modified rather than reproduced. And a intense emotional events took place, which touched off the motivations to become a social studies teacher.
On the point of view of self and society, the identity of an elementary social studies teacher is formed by the encounter of four points which are an elementary school teacher and administrator on social aspect, and a social studies teacher and instructor on individual aspect, which means that his(her) identity is formed with the intervention of four elements of two binomial oppositions which are the elementary education, the social studies education, administrator and teacher.
On the basis of the results of the above-mentioned analysis, there are four characteristics in the process of formation of an elementary social studies teacher. An elementary social studies teacher experiences an ‘rencontre(meetings)’, which gives to the teacher experiences of shivers, shocks and the joy (so to speak, the ‘affect’ -emotions-). This ‘affect’(emotions) causes the questions about the meaning of his(her) existence and a truly genuine social studies class, which makes possible the reflections about the meaning of existence of a social studies teacher and the right direction of social studies education. After all this process, an elementary school teacher is transformed into an elementary social studies teacher, which would have internal differences different from the previous ego.
The identity of an elementary social studies teacher has various meaning as follows.
On the point of view of the social studies education, the identity of an elementary social studies teacher means that he(she) has tried to transform him(her)self form an elementary school teacher to an elementary social studies teacher. That means that he(she) has tried such a transformation through a will and desire to become an elementary social studies teacher, which requires the difference rather than the sameness and that also means that an elementary school teacher has tried to pursue the meaning of the existence of a teacher through relating to an elementary social studies teacher, which requires also a continual process of making his(her) social studies lessons and social studies theories.
On the point of view of the elementary education, elementary social studies teachers integrated other disciplines based on the social studies and the reflections and exploration experiences are transferred into the research of other disciplines, which makes possible the profound understanding of the education.
It seems that the formation of the elementary social studies teachers should be that of the growth in terms of the emotional aspects of the teachers. This formation should include a curriculum in which the teacher self-examine and ask themselves the questions of who they are and where they are headed to. This means a self-study or a process of self-questioning which includes the experiencing of the reflections of their classes based on the core reflection, writing their autobiographies or a daily journal of educational activities. It is also necessary for the teachers to experience diverse experiences with respect to the social studies by institutionalizing a space dedicated to differences. Lastly, An elementary school culture where the sameness and vertical demanding and responses are focused on should be transformed into a culture of diversity and horizontal communication.