Speakers
Description
Teacher Professional Identity and Professional Learning: A Self-Narrative
Abstract
The exploration of how Vietnamese EFL teachers engage in professional learning and the factors that drive their learning remains an under-researched area. In this presentation, I share my personal narrative as a high school EFL teacher navigating the complexities of teaching in a rural Vietnamese setting. My journey reflects the intricate interplay between professional identity and professional learning, highlighting how the former shapes the latter. This self-narrative is structured around three interrelated components: story, motivation, and telling. Through these components, I recount the challenges I faced in my teaching career and the strategies I employed to overcome them. My story offers insights into the role of professional identity in fostering resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning. While deeply personal, I believe my experiences resonate with many teachers facing similar circumstances, providing them with valuable perspectives for their own professional journeys. Additionally, this narrative aims to inform teacher educators and educational administrators about the importance of recognizing and supporting the unique challenges and developmental needs of teachers working in under-resourced environments. By sharing my experiences, I hope to contribute to the broader discourse on teacher professional identity and learning, promoting more sophisticated and contextually informed methods for teacher development in Vietnam and beyond.
