Fostering identities: critical representations of teachers

A preservice teacher holds a range of beliefs about what it is to be a teacher. These beliefs are based on his/her prior experience as a teacher, his/her exposure to classroom models of teaching, and images of teachers represented through the media. Other representations are often derived from personal experiences, which may be romanticised. This chapter explores popular representations of teachers in some detail, examining where they come from, why they are significant, and how they influence teaching approaches and perceptions. It examines framing theory, discourse, and critical approaches to unpack the constructions of three fictional teachers, questioning how teachers could conceptualise their own practice differently. [Author abstract, ed]