Small stories, positioning analysis, and the doing of professional identities in learning to teach

Abstract

Interest in the narrative construction of identities has become widespread in social research. Much of this research focuses on the grander narratives we tell about ourselves, the big retrospectives elicited from interviews. However, if identification is conceived as an ongoing performance accomplished locally in and through everyday interactions then it is the narratives that emerge in this context that become the focus of interest. “Small stories” are the ephemeral narratives emerging in such everyday, mundane contexts, which it is argued constitute the performance of identities and the construction of self. Drawing on Bamberg’s Positioning Analysis, this paper examines the construction of identities in a “small story” told by two student teachers, showing how this enables the participants to make claims about their developing professional identities. The paper also examines positioning analysis and its ability to link these locally produced identities to wider discourses.

The Emotional Landscapes of Literacy Coaching

“…Much of the small story research has focused on just one story or individual (Barkhuizen, 2009;Georgakopoulou, 2008;Juzwik & Ives, 2010;Watson, 2007). In this study, we examined small stories from three different participants within the same community, hoping we could better understand how individuals within a professional group and context negotiated issues of power and identity in their work.…”

Being Fred: big stories, small stories and the accomplishment of a positive ageing identity

“…Central to this turn has been an interest in how identities are constructed by and through narrative. However, as Watson (2007) points out, much of this research focuses upon the grander narratives that we tell about ourselves during the interview situation. As such, the analytical interest has predominantly been in 'big stories' relating to key events/experiences within people's lives.…”

Emotional Development and Construction of Teacher Identity: Narrative Interactions about the Pre-service Teachers’ Practicum Experiences

“…Focusing on relations among pre-service teachers, Watson (2007) investigated two preservice teachers in a one-year teacher qualification program. She used the method of narrative interaction to understand the construction of pre-service teachers' professional identities.…”