51³Ô¹Ï

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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Karen E. Efford

  • BA (Carleton University, 2011)

  • MA (51³Ô¹Ï, 2017)

Notice of the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Topic

Becoming a Teacher: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Beginning Teachers

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Date & location

  • Friday, July 4, 2025

  • 10:30 A.M.

  • Clearihue Building, Room B007

  • And Virtually

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

  • Dr. Todd Milford, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 51³Ô¹Ï (Co-Supervisor)

  • Dr. Catherine McGregor, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, UVic (Co-Supervisor)

  • Dr. Erika Germanos, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, UVic (Member)

  • Dr. Vera Caine, School of Nursing, Uvic (Outside Member) 

External Examiner

  • Dr. Susan Drake, Department of Educational Studies, Brock University 

Chair of Oral Examination

  • Dr. Lorelie Newton, School of Nursing, UVic

     

Abstract

This research explores the evolving professional identities of early career teachers in British Columbia through the lens of narrative inquiry. Drawing on the experiences of four teachers in their first five years of teaching, this study investigates how identity and agency intersect within the relational and institutional landscapes of the BC public education system. Through story circles, written narratives, and re-storying, participants shared and reflected on their experiences of becoming teachers, experiences marked by uncertainty, vulnerability, and moments of both constraint and transformation. Central to this inquiry is the recognition that identity is not static, but continuously formed in shared spaces of classrooms, staffrooms, and school communities. Narrative threads pull forward important considerations of authenticity, agency, and shared trauma”, as participants navigated institutional expectations while striving to remain true to their values and selves. By attending closely to the stories teachers live by, and the spaces in which their identities unfold, we can better understand the challenges of beginning teaching, and the relational practices that sustain and support stories to stay by.

Keywords: New Teacher, Relational Agency, Ecological Agency, Authenticity, Trauma

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