Date of Award

10-1-2021

Publication Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.Ed.

Department

Education

Keywords

Teacher identity development, New teachers, Occasional teacher, Self-efficacy

Supervisor

T. Sefton

Supervisor

D. Sirek

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

For many new teachers, Occasional Teaching is often a rite of passage into the teaching profession. These early years in a new teacher’s career are significantly impactful and formative, as signified by the research of self-efficacy development of new teachers. However, an overwhelming majority of this self-efficacy research focuses primarily on new teachers working in permanent positions. This research study endeavors to examine the ways in which Occasional Teachers perceive their self-efficacy in a constantly changing work environment. In this qualitative research study, I investigated the lived experiences and the precarity that define Occasional Teaching. Semi-structured interviews and an autoethnographic journal were used, and the data was analyzed through narrative inquiry. Four themes were uncovered from the data analysis: (1) Not Knowing (Uncertainty); (2) Routines; (3) The Outsider; and (4) Sense of Belonging. These themes provide a specific depiction of the Occasional Teaching experience and the ways in which Occasional Teachers cope with precarity.

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