The Formation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Identities. Pre-service Teacher’s Perceptions

Set within the context of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), this chapter presents an overview of findings from my doctoral study that explored the personal teaching philosophies of students (pre-service teachers) training to become qualified teachers, with the intention of better understanding how my participant’s perceptions of teaching were shaped by their previous experiences of learning. Having established the focus, I set about designing my study. Evaluating my own philosophy, values, attitudes, and beliefs I chose symbolic interactionism as my theoretical approach and adopted a research strategy informed by grounded theory. Many themes of potential interest emerged including subject knowledge, disciplinary differences, and engendered approaches to STEM pedagogy. The key finding and hence topic under discussion within this chapter examines how the meanings pre-service teachers assign to their lived experiences are significant in their development as teachers. Outcomes are discussed within the context of policy and practice, and the chapter closes by offering potential strategies, ways forward that I hope may be supportive in helping pre-service teachers and teachers of STEM-related subject disciplines to become more aware of the meaning they have assigned to their experience-related beliefs, how awareness can support the development of professional teacher identities and how this in turn may be used to improve learning and teaching.