Abstract
ABSTRACTThis study takes a narrative perspective to examine teachers as writers and autobiographical creative writing as a way for promoting teachers’ professional development. In a creative writing group for Finnish primary and secondary school teachers, the teachers expressed themselves and explored their lives and identities through autobiographical creative writing. The aim of this study was to examine the stories the teachers tell about their relationship to writing and the goals they set for their professional and personal development in the writing group. Through thematic analysis, seven descriptive themes were found in teachers’ narratives of writing. Furthermore, based on the narrative analysis, a poem-like word image was composed. This study illustrates how literary methods diversify teachers’ narratives. The findings shed light on teachers as creative writers and emphasise the connection between writing and well-being. Creative writing groups can be beneficial for teachers’ professional development, identity work and well-being.
Highlights
This article examines autobiographical creative writing as a way to promote teachers’ professional development
The goal of our research was to examine in-service teachers’ creative writing in a peer group and to find out what kinds of goals the teachers set for their development in the writing group, and how they describe their relationship to writing
As the word image continues, teachers start gazing forward, expressing the hopes they have for the writing group in relation to their identity building and professional development
Summary
This article examines autobiographical creative writing as a way to promote teachers’ professional development. There is a need for seeking ways to promote in-service teachers’ professional development and identity from induction to retirement (Heikkinen, Jokinen, & Tynjälä, 2012; Kallioniemi, Toom, & Niemi, 2012; Martin & Pennanen, 2015). There is a global concern for teachers leaving their jobs after a few years of working in schools (OECD, 2005), teachers’ professional mobility rates are TEACHERS AND TEACHING: THEORY AND PRACTICE low in Finland. Many of the primary and secondary teachers in Finland who consider leaving the teaching profession do it partly for reasons related to job satisfaction: some perceive teaching to be stressful and demanding, and feel there is a lack of support from the work community and superiors (Martin & Pennanen, 2015)
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