The Relevance of a Migration Background to the Professional Identity of Teachers

Abstract

Immigrant teachers face several specific expectations from policy makers, colleagues, as well as the media. Often new hopes are pinned on them for teaching (ethnically) diverse learners. Their professional identity is inevitably linked to these expectations. In this regard, this paper discusses the findings of a qualitative study exploring the professional identities of immigrant teachers. Furthermore, it draws implications for teacher education. Reflecting on our research findings, we illustrate two types of professional identities: Teachers who accept the "special skills" ascribed to them, and where the migration background constitutes the core of their professional identity, as well as others, who reject the expectations, and appeal to the pedagogical skills they share with their colleagues without a migration background. Given our findings, future teachers need more support when it comes to reflecting their own biography, political and public expectations, and the bearings on their professional identity.

Increasing the Diversity of the Teacher Workforce: Socio-Political Challenges to Reducing Inequalities in Access to Teacher Education Programs

“…There is ample research on different factors that may explain educational disadvantages of students with migration backgrounds. In addition, in the last three decades studies have appeared looking into experiences of teachers with migration backgrounds (e.g., Bressler and Rotter, 2017). However only a few studies (e.g., Döll and Knappik, 2015) have considered how certain educational practices, such as a primary focus on native language proficiency, may enhance or reduce possible biases against students with migration backgrounds.…”

Migrant teachers and the negotiation of a (new) teaching identity

“…However, the role of the migrant teacher in providing an opportunity for diversifying the teaching force has also been seen in more positive terms, where individual teachers are regarded as being able to contribute by acting as role models for migrant students -they take on the role of bridgebuilders between migrant parents and the school system or language translators (Georgi 2016; Schmidt and Janusch 2016). However, in practice, while some teachers are comfortable taking on a particular responsibility for teaching migrant students, others reject this position as discriminatory and prefer to focus on maintaining a professional identity unrelated to their migrant background (Bressler and Rotter 2017;Georgi 2016;Lander and Sheikh Zaheerali 2016). From a Swedish context, Bigestans (2015) studied teachers with a migrant background who after certification had found employment in a Swedish school.…”

‘There Is an Exemplar because I’m There.’

“…Working environments, life experiences (for instance, schooling, interaction with colleagues, students, and families) along with personal identities such as age, gender, and ethnicity are some of the crucial factors that influence how teachers understand their roles (ibid.). Importantly, research on minority teachers also draws attention to the societal and community expectations that may influence the roles this specific group of teachers take on (Bressler and Rotter, 2017;Sontoro, 2015). The three types of teacher roles that emerged through the analysis of this study represent particular intersections of the above-described influences which are all embedded in the respective local social relations.…”

“…Teachers' relations with students and families are often referred to as important domains in which minority teachers recognize and embrace their diverse personal and professional identities (Bressler and Rotter, 2017). These areas are especially relevant for study, as the interviewees in this study teach at the same location or near to where they live, thus they occupy a particular place in the system of local hierarchies.…”

“…By unfolding the biographical and contextual factors that impact professional identities and practice, this specific sub-group of teachers may bring new perspectives to the education of socially disadvantaged learners which are relevant to teacher education programs. On the other hand, minority teachers face a variety of specific expectations from colleagues, parents, and wider society concerning the education of minority students (Bressler and Rotter, 2017). A focus on Roma teachers' thoughts on their work and relations with their students and communities might shed light on the 1 I would like to thank Ernő Kállai and Violetta Zentai for their support, my colleagues and the anonymous reviewers for insightful comments, and my doctoral school for funding.…”