Edge Hill University
“It’s like my gender identity and sexuality take a back seat”: The experiences of personal and professional identities of LGBTQ+ pre-service teachers.
The existing research on LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+) teachers has mainly focused on experiences of discrimination, victimisation, and harassment. Furthermore, this research has largely focused on established teachers’ experiences rather than those of pre-service teachers, and limited studies have been sourced that have specifically investigated participants’ teaching placement experiences. Therefore, the aim of the research was to explore the experiences and identities of LGBTQ+ pre-service teachers on placement.
The research adopted a narrative methodology to explore the lived experiences of 5 LGBTQ+ pre-service teachers during their teaching placements. The research unstructured interviews will be used to elicit participants lived experiences, and the concept of heteroprofessionalism was engaged with as an overarching framework for analysing these experiences. In summary the research found pre-service teachers knitted, split or quit their identities as LGBTQ+ people, with classroom practice and their understanding of teacher professionalism playing a significant role in this work.
The study has made three recommendations. Firstly, comprehensive training for placement schools and mentors in how to support LGBTQ+ pre-service teachers would be beneficial. Secondly, Teacher Education programmes would benefit from incorporating dedicated sessions on personal and professional identity development. Thirdly, Teacher Education programmes and schools should play an active role in challenging heteronormative attitudes and behaviours.